An economic evaluation of highly purified HMG and recombinant FSH based on a large randomized trial

Public funding for IVF is increasingly being challenged by health authorities in an attempt to minimize health service costs. In light of treatment rationing, the need to consider costs in relation to outcomes is paramount. To assess the cost implications of gonadotrophin treatment options, an economic evaluation comparing highly purified human menopausal gonadotrophin (HP-HMG) and recombinant FSH (rFSH) has been conducted. The analysis is based on individual patient data from a large randomized controlled trial (n = 731) in a long agonist IVF protocol. The economic evaluation uses a discrete event simulation model to assess treatment costs in relation to live births for both treatments based on published UK costs. After one cycle the mean costs per IVF treatment for HP-HMG and rFSH were £2396 (95% CI £2383–2414) and £2633 (£2615–2652), respectively. The average cost-saving of £237 per IVF cycle using HP-HMG allows one additional cycle to be delivered for every 10 cycles. With maternal and neonatal costs applied, the median cost per IVF baby delivered with HP-HMG was £8893 compared with £11,741 for rFSH (P < 0.001). The cost-saving potential of HP-HMG in IVF was still apparent after varying critical cost parameters in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis.