Table 2 Data for the 18 illustrative technologies in Figures 2 and 3
Technology (indication, number of potential patients) | Lives Saved | Life-Prolongation Benefits | Quality-of-Life (QoL) gains | If this technology were not to be funded … | Other important social or ethical benefits, etc | Total cost (millions of shekels, annual) | Quality of evidence | X-factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
t1. Smoking cessation drugs (smokers, 6000) | Very many: >500 lives saved | Large benefits | Large QoL gains | Many/most patients will be able to pay for it themselves (privately) | Yes | 5.29 | high | not smoking is a personal choice |
t2. Taxotere (head and neck cancer, 200) | None (or not yet known) | Large benefits | None/very small (or not yet known) | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 4.6 | high | none |
t3. Herceptin (breast cancer – adjuvant treatment, 700) | Few: 1-50 lives saved | Medium benefits | Small QoL gains | Many/most patients will get an alternative treatment (less effective) already funded by government | Yes | 124 | high | none |
t4. Elaprase (Hunter syndrome, 3) | Few: 1-50 lives saved | None/very small (or not yet known) | Medium QoL gains | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 5.45 | poor | orphan drug |
t5. Visudyne (age-related macular degeneration, 1050) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Large QoL gains | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 26.47 | high | none |
t6. Left-ventricular assist devices (terminal heart failure, 12) | Few: 1-50 lives saved | Small benefits | Small QoL gains | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 4.83 | high | none |
t7. Statins (hypercholesterolemia, 5600) | None (or not yet known) | Medium benefits | Medium QoL gains | Many/most patients will be able to pay for it themselves (privately) | Yes | 16 | high | strategic considerations |
t8. Pain relief (neuropathic pain, 14,250) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Large QoL gains | Many/most patients will get an alternative treatment (less effective) already funded by government | Yes | 46 | high | none |
t9. Revlimid (multiple myeloma – 3rd-line treatment, 200) | None (or not yet known) | Medium benefits | None/very small (or not yet known) | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 39 | medium | none |
t10. Dental care (children, 20,000) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Medium QoL gains | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 65 | high | political considerations |
t11. Growth hormone (short-statured children, 3900) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Medium QoL gains | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | Yes | 25.6 | high | none |
t12. Avastin [Bevacizumab] (colon cancer, 700) | None (or not yet known) | Medium benefits | Small QoL gains | Many/most patients will not receive any treatment for condition | None/Very small (or not yet known) | 76.27 | medium | none |
t13. Over-active bladder drugs (urinary urge, incontinence, 21,000) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Large QoL gains | Many/most patients will be able to pay for it themselves (privately) | Yes | 37 | high | none |
t14. Fuzeon (HIV, 45) | None (or not yet known) | Medium benefits | Small QoL gains | Many/most patients will get an alternative treatment (less effective) already funded by government | None/Very small (or not yet known) | 3.33 | high | none |
t15. Long-acting insulins (diabetes, 10,000) | None (or not yet known) | Small benefits | Medium QoL gains | Many/most patients will get an alternative treatment (less effective) already funded by government | None/Very small (or not yet known) | 17.83 | high | none |
t16. Contraceptives (adolescent girls, 20,000) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Medium QoL gains | Many/most patients will be able to pay for it themselves (privately) | Yes | 3.11 | high | socio-ethical, religious considerations |
t17. Erbitux (colon cancer – for KRAS mutation negative, 210) | None (or not yet known) | Small benefits | Small QoL gains | Many/most patients will get an alternative treatment (less effective) already funded by government | None/Very small (or not yet known) | 47.26 | medium | none |
t18. Humira (psoriatic arthritis, 60) | None (or not yet known) | None/very small (or not yet known) | Small QoL gains | Many/most patients will get an alternative treatment (less effective) already funded by government | None/Very small (or not yet known) | 3.49 | medium | none |