[Economic evaluation in a trial of medically controlled prescription of narcotics to dependent users (PROVE)]

In the 1994-1996 trial of medically controlled prescription of narcotics to dependent users, 800 places were ascribed to heroin substitutes and another 200 for methadone and morphine substitutes. The trial was evaluated with the aid of an accompanying research. Among the results demonstrated in the evaluation was an improvement of the health of the participants. The economic assessment was drawn from observations of health effects within a sub-sample of 142 participants from four centers. In a retrospective statistical survey, for each acute illness which could be influenced through the trial, the number of diagnoses was recorded in the first and thirteenth month after study entry. Also, based on a number of representative cases for each of these acute illnesses, the resource use, i.e. the types and numbers of medical products and services rendered to the patients, was recorded. The results showed a clear decline in depressive episodes, skin diseases, digestive system disorders as well as epileptic attacks and intoxication. Treatment costs could be reduced from a total of CHF 94875.--to CHF 21,998.--/month or from CHF 22.27 to CHF 5.15/patient per day. The improvement of somatic and psychic health due to the medically controlled prescription of narcotics resulted in a benefit of CHF 17.11/person per day.