HTA Study in USA

“Cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency echographic multi-spectrometry for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in the United States”:

Jean-Yves Reginster 1, Stuart L. Silverman 2 , Majed Alokail 1, Nasser Al-Daghri 1, Mickael Hiligsmann 3,

1 Bioochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles and the OMC Clinical Research Center, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, United States

3 Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6229 GT, The Netherlands

HIGHLIGHT:

Osteoporosis remains largely underdiagnosed and undertreated, with about three-quarters of at-risk individuals not receiving treatment. Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry (REMS) is an innovative, non-ionizing diagnostic technique that has shown high accuracy and precision, making it a promising alternative to DXA for osteoporosis diagnosis in clinical settings. With economic considerations playing an increasingly crucial role in healthcare decisions, the cost-effectiveness and economic impact (in terms of health outcomes and costs) of improved osteoporosis diagnosis using REMS followed by treatment in the United States has been evaluated. This study’s results are detailed in the paper title «Cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency Echographic multi-spectrometry for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in the United States» published in the high-impact JBMR® Plus, the open-access journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

This analysis provides crucial insights into the cost-effectiveness and potential economic benefits of implementing REMS in clinical practice for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in the US, even with a conservative approach where just 5% of patients receive treatment. A comprehensive economic evaluation of REMS, in terms of costs per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained is essential for informing payers about its cost-effectiveness, as recommended by the ESCEO-IOF guideline for economic evaluations in osteoporosis. This study used an economic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of REMS followed by treatment compared to no diagnosis.

The results indicate that REMS followed by treatment is associated with improved health outcomes, including more QALYs and fewer fractures, and reduced fracture-related costs compared to no diagnosis and treatment. Moreover, a 5% increase in the diagnosis and treatment of women over 50 yr at high and very high risk of fractures using REMS is projected to save approximately 30000 life yr, 43500 QALYs, and prevent 100000 fractures over a lifetime under real-world medication adherence. In conclusion, this study suggests that “REMS is a cost-effective strategy for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in US women, offering substantial potential economic benefits and improved health outcomes”.

This analysis highlights the significant economic benefits of widespread REMS implementation in the clinical practice.