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PAPERS: L. M. Davies, S. Lewis, P. B. Jones, T. R. E. Barnes, F. Gaughran, K. Hayhurst, A. Markwick, H. Lloyd the CUtLASS team Cost-effectiveness of first- v. second-generation antipsychotic drugs: results from a randomised controlled trial in schizophrenia responding poorly to previous therapy The British Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 191: 14-22 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Terminology - Cost effectiveness or Cost Utility analysis

Rajeev Krishnadas   (15 August 2007)

Terminology - Cost effectiveness or Cost Utility analysis 15 August 2007
Rajeev Krishnadas, SHO - Psychiatry Bede Wing, South Tyneside Hospital, South Shields, NE34 0PL Send letter to journal: Re: Terminology - Cost effectiveness or Cost Utility analysis rajeev.krishnadas{at}gmail.com Rajeev Krishnadas	Dear Editor, I read with interest the article titled "Cost-effectiveness of first- v. second-generation antipsychotic drugs: results from a randomised controlled trial in schizophrenia responding poorly to previous therapy" [1]. First of all I would like to congratulate the authors on the great efforts put into the study. The authors have used the term "Cost Effectiveness" throughout the paper. Although they have taken into consideration a single outcome/effect measure for calculating the ICER, the measure being "QALY", the term "Cost Utility" may have been more appropriate for the paper.[2] (The acronym CUtLASS for cost utility.) An earlier paper by the same authors using ratings on QLS (not QALY) and PANSS as outcome measures calls it "Cost Utility" instead of "Cost Effectiveness" analysis.[3] Although the principles behind a cost effectiveness and cost utility analysis remain the same and the duration of this study is one year, using the terms interchangeably may lead to confusion and difficulties in comparing data in the future. [2] 1. Davies LM, Lewis S, Jones PB, Barnes TR, Gaughran F, Hayhurst K, Markwick A, Lloyd H. Cost-effectiveness of first- v. second-generation antipsychotic drugs: results from a randomised controlled trial in schizophrenia responding poorly to previous therapy Br J Psychiatry. 2007 Jul;191:14-22. 2. Hoch JS, Dewa CS. An Introduction to Economic Evaluation: What’s in a Name? Can J Psychiatry 2005;50:159–166 3. Jones, P. B., Davies, L. M., Barnes, T. R. E., et al (2006) Randomized controlled trial of effect on quality of life of second generation versus first generation antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 63, 1079 -1087