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Ostomy appliance prices in Europe
Steven Simoens1, Veerle Vanleene, Luc De Maré
1Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Care and Pharmaco-economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Onderwijs en Navorsing 2, PO Box 521, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. steven.simoens@pharm.kuleuven.be
Journal of Medical Economics
|May 20, 2009
Summary
Ostomy appliance prices, including colostomy, ileostomy, and ureterostomy devices, were significantly lower in Belgium compared to Denmark, England, and the Netherlands in 2005. This suggests potential for price reductions in other countries.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Medical Device Market Analysis
Background:
- Ostomy appliances are crucial for individuals with altered bowel or urinary diversions.
- Market prices for these essential medical devices can vary significantly across different European countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the market prices of one-piece and two-piece colostomy, ileostomy, and ureterostomy appliances.
- To analyze price variations in Belgium, Denmark, England, and the Netherlands in 2005.
Main Methods:
- Data collection involved contacting health authorities, insurance companies, manufacturers, and distributors.
- Price differences were calculated as a proportion of the Belgian price for comparative analysis.
Main Results:
- A majority of ostomy appliance products (64 out of 72) were found to be cheaper in Belgium.
- One-piece colostomy and two-piece ileostomy appliances showed consistently lower prices in Belgium.
- The Netherlands exhibited the highest prices, while Denmark and England also had higher prices than Belgium for most products.
Conclusions:
- Substantial market price variations indicate manufacturers tailor pricing to national policy environments.
- There is a clear opportunity to reduce ostomy appliance prices in certain European markets.
