Lorena San Miguel1, Frank Hulstaert1. 1. KCE Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre, Doorbuilding (9th Floor), Boulevard du Jardin Botanique 55, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Economic evaluations of companion diagnostics often fail to include the impact that tests have on the overall economic value of test-drug combinations. METHODS: To illustrate the importance of test accuracy on the cost-effectiveness of companion diagnostics by means of examples. Data were extracted from the literature. RESULTS: The accuracy of a test and in particularly its specificity, is often more influential on the overall cost-effectiveness results than the price of the test. Specificity becomes more crucial when prevalence of the biomarker is low. Multiple, simultaneous testing faces specific challenges regarding its overall specificity. CONCLUSION: This article opens a discussion on some fundamental points linked to economic evaluations of test-therapy combinations.
BACKGROUND: Economic evaluations of companion diagnostics often fail to include the impact that tests have on the overall economic value of test-drug combinations. METHODS: To illustrate the importance of test accuracy on the cost-effectiveness of companion diagnostics by means of examples. Data were extracted from the literature. RESULTS: The accuracy of a test and in particularly its specificity, is often more influential on the overall cost-effectiveness results than the price of the test. Specificity becomes more crucial when prevalence of the biomarker is low. Multiple, simultaneous testing faces specific challenges regarding its overall specificity. CONCLUSION: This article opens a discussion on some fundamental points linked to economic evaluations of test-therapy combinations.
Keywords:
companion diagnostics; cost–effectiveness; economic evaluation; next-generation sequencing; test accuracy