Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness of on-demand versus prophylactic hemophilia therapy in Iran from a third-party payers' perspective.
Methods: A retrospective chart review of twenty-five type A hemophiliacs who were treated in three hemophilia treatment centers was conducted. The patients were boys 0-9 years old receiving one of two treatments: (i) prophylaxis with concentrate at clinic; (ii) concentrate at clinic as on-demand. Fourteen boys received on-demand infusions for bleeding events, and eleven boys received infusions prophylaxis. Data were extracted from documents in the hemophilia treatment centers during a period of approximately 6 months.
Results: The patients receiving prophylactic treatment had fewer bleeding events each month (mean, 0.26 versus 2.74) but used more concentrate (225.31 versus 87.20 units/kg per month). Average monthly cost per patient in the prophylaxis group was approximately 1.9 times higher than in the on-demand group. Compared with on-demand infusion, prophylaxis costs 3,201,656 Rials (euro213.45) per bleeding event prevented.
Conclusion: Prophylactic care markedly reduces the number of bleeding episodes, but at considerable cost.