How Should Functionally Equivalent Drugs be Reimbursed?

Statutory reimbursement agencies as well as private insurers throughout member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reimburse the cost of medicines on the basis of criteria that include robust clinical evidence, budget impact analysis, and incremental cost effectiveness. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the US are no exception to this rule and are, in principle, seeking to maximize benefit for their Medicare enrollees, whilst ensuring reasonable drug outlays for the small number of drugs that they reimburse. This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the way two functionally equivalent drugs are treated for reimbursement purposes by the CMS; the period under consideration was 2001–3. The two drugs, epoetin-α and darbepoetin-α, are used for the treatment of anemia in renal failure and in patients receiving chemotherapy. By reviewing the publicly available pharmacological and clinical data of epoetin-α and darbepoetin-α, the paper confirms the two drugs’ functional equivalence, despite their structural differences. The implications of dose conversion ratios and costs to Medicare are subsequently explored. It is argued that the issue of dose equivalence between epoetin-α and darbepoetin-α has significant implications for patients, practitioners, and payors. A payor’s perspective is adopted in this respect, whereby clinical evidence and pricing data are used simultaneously. Based on the clinical evidence, a dose conversion ratio for epoetin-α:darbepoetin-α is established, which achieves a comparable clinical effect for the two drugs and this is set to be <254IU:1μg. The incremental costs to Medicare are calculated subsequently. The Average Wholesale Price and the Outpatient Prospective Payment System rule that Medicare uses to reimburse providers are used and suggest that treatment of cancer patients with chemotherapy-related anemia with epoetin-α would save Medicare an estimated $US600 million each year. Patients would also benefit significantly in terms of lower co-payments for epoetin-α. The evidence is supportive of the decision made by the CMS to reimburse the two drugs at the rate reflecting the achievement of comparable clinical effects and therefore reducing the pass-through payments for darbepoetin-α to zero for the 2002–3 fiscal year.     

乳腺良恶性病变的磁共振T2*W首过灌注成像与血管生成相关性研究

Objective： To study the diagnostic value of T2^＊-weighted first-pass perfusion imaging in breast tumors. Methods： We analyzed the magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） information along with the pathological and immunohistochemistry results. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 28 patients with breast tumor. The time to signal intensity curves were generated according to the T2^＊-weighted first-pass perfusion imaging. The curve＇s maximal signal intensity drop rate and maximal signal intensity decrease time were analyzed and compared with the pathological diagnoses after surgery. Results： Malignant breast lesions showed higher maximal signal intensity drop rate （44.69% ± 17.07 vs. 17.22% ±7.49, P 〈 0.001） than benign lesions, but there was no significant difference of maximal signal decrease time between those two lesions （23.94 s ± 4.92 vs. 20.02 s ± 6.83, P 〉 0.05）. Conclusion： The T2^＊-weighted first-pass perfusion imaging has enough sensitivity and specificity in breast tumor diagnosis.     

洛沙坦对肥胖Zucker大鼠肾组织环氧化酶2表达的影响

目的 探讨血管紧张素Ⅱ(AngⅡ)1型受体拮抗剂(ARB)洛沙坦对代谢综合征(MS)肾组织环氧化酶2(COX-2)表达的影响及其机制。 方法 把7周大的MS模型肥胖Zucker大鼠随机分成洛沙坦处理组和未处理组，以瘦Zucker大鼠为对照组，连续给药4个月后观察肾组织内COX-2的表达。另外，用AngⅡ刺激6 h的系膜细胞和用从微型渗透泵灌注AngⅡ 5 d的C57BL/6小鼠肾脏提取的肾皮质，观察COX-2的表达。采用RT-PCR和Western印迹法分别检测COX-2 mRNA和蛋白的表达。 结果 洛沙坦可阻止肥胖Zucker大鼠肾组织内COX-2表达增加。AngⅡ直接刺激可以诱导系膜细胞和肾组织内COX-2表达增加。 结论 AngⅡ可以调控MS肾组织内COX-2表达增加。ARB可以通过抑制COX-2的表达保护MS肾脏，这对应用非COX-2抑制剂来保护MS肾脏具有重要的意义。     

NEUROTROPIN IMMUNOSTIMULATING ACTION ON IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS

Neurotropin (NSP) is an extract isolated from the skin of rabbits inoculated with vaccinia virus. The present study examines the possible action of NSP on the number and function of immunocompe tent cells in mice. The experiment showed that NSP had no effect on both T and B lymphocytes of nor- malimmunized mouse spleen. The degree of plaque forming cell reaction and titre of specific antibody showed no significant differences when the NSP treated group and controls were compared. How- ever, NSP exhibited promotive effect on specific antigen binding cells in the early stage of immune responses. It was also noted that the rosette forming capacity of human T lymphocytes in vitro was restor- ed markedly by NSP. These results suggest that NSP possesses certain immunostimulating activity, particularly on the specific antigen binding cells and human T lymphocytes.     

刺五加冲剂中异秦皮素的薄层扫描

刺五加冲剂中异秦皮素的测定法为:先用氯仿回流提取,在硅胶G薄层板上用环已烷-氯仿-95%乙醇(4∶12∶1)为展开剂,将异秦皮素与其它成分分离后。再用岛津CS-910型双波长薄层扫描仪进行荧光扫描(激发波长365nm,发射波长500nm)。回收率为101.6%(n=5),变异系数为3.6%。     

Traumatic Injury of the Superior Mesenteric Vein: Ligate,Repair or Shunt?

Abstract We report a case of SMV injury in a critically ill patient. The patient was a 19-year-old woman involved in a motor vehicle collision. Her injuries included grade II splenic and renal lacerations, devascularized and lacerated right and transverse colon, a transected transverse mesocolon, a massive shear injury of her abdominal wall, and two partial SMV transections. At initial damage control laparotomy, the SMV was ligated, the devascularized bowel resected and a temporary abdominal closure applied. At re-operation, a mesocaval shunt using saphenous vein was employed. The shunt failed and the patient required a saphenous vein jump graft. Although visceral vascular injuries are rare, ligation of the SMV in a damage control situation is acceptable. This case study is the first to discuss appropriate treatment when interruption to a patient's collateral visceral venous drainage limits the surgeon’s ability to ligate. In these situations, bypass shunts may be successful.     

Policy Perspective on Housing and HIV/AIDS

For persons battling HIV/AIDS a stable place to live may decide the length and quality of life itself. It is nearly impossible for a person on the streets to engage in a needed continuous AIDS treatment regimen when the very basic question of where that person will rest his or her head when darkness comes in just a few hours is unresolved. When danger lurks on the streets, when cold numbs the limbs, when tiredness overwhelms the mind, when fear breaks the spirit, a place to call home would make all the difference.