MOST VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR BREAST CANCER SCREENING

Ljubljana, Slovenia - Additional information regarding the decision problem is valuable, as it reduces the decision uncertainty and consequently the opportunity costs.

The question of whether allocation of resources into further research of breast cancer screening before the adoption of the specific policy was explored in Bayesian Value of Information analysis. Within the analysis, the original cost-effectiveness model was replaced with metamodel, in order to allow for the completion of the analysis in a still acceptable time frame.

The results indicated that future research would be most valuable if directed towards obtaining more precise estimates of the breast cancer sojourn times. But it is argued that delaying the decision would result in significantly higher opportunity loss in contrast to the cost of the decision uncertainty. Therefore, the best option would be to implement the most cost effective policy and simultaneously conduct observational studies.

This study was published in the May/June 2008 issue of Value in Health, the official journal of the International Society of Phrmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

The study confirmed the high value of the information regarding the period when the breast cancer is detectable but not yet clinically observable.

Value in Health (ISSN 1098-3015) publishes papers, concepts, and ideas that advance the field of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research and help health care leaders to make decisions that are solidly evidence-based. The journal is published bi-monthly and has a regular readership of over 3,000 clinicians, decision-makers, and researchers worldwide.

ISPOR is a nonprofit, international organization that strives to translate pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research into practice to ensure that society allocates scarce health care resources wisely, fairly, and efficiently.

For more information:
www.ispor.org

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