Pharmacoeconomics and health economics in drug policy: a comprehensive review of cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses

Mehmet Ali Yüzbaşıoğlu

doi:10.56782/pps.544

Published : 2025-10-05

Vol. 24 No. 1 (2026)

Pharmacoeconomics and health economics in drug policy: a comprehensive review of cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses

Mehmet Ali Yüzbaşıoğlu

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56782/pps.544

Abstract

Increasing healthcare expenditures, aging populations, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and the emergence of high-cost pharmaceutical innovations have underscored the urgent need for efficient and evidence-based resource allocation in healthcare systems. As a response to these challenges, health economics and pharmacoeconomics have emerged as essential disciplines for informing policy development and clinical decision-making. This review systematically explores the fundamental principles of health economics and pharmacoeconomics, with a focus on evaluating key analytical approaches such as cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-minimization, and budget impact analyses. Drawing on data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and national health institutions, the study highlights real-world applications and cross-national comparisons of these methods. The findings reveal significant regional differences in the integration of pharmacoeconomic evaluations into drug reimbursement and health technology assessment (HTA) processes. Moreover, the review identifies key challenges in implementation, including disparities in data quality, methodological transparency, and institutional capacity. Ultimately, this analysis demonstrates that pharmacoeconomic evaluations are indispensable for shaping sustainable, equitable, and patient-centered healthcare systems across the globe.

Keywords:

Pharmacoeconomics, Health Economics, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Budget Impact Analysis, Health Policy

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Yüzbaşıoğlu, M. A. (2025). Pharmacoeconomics and health economics in drug policy: a comprehensive review of cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses. Prospects in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 24(1), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.56782/pps.544

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Pharmacoeconomics and health economics in drug policy: a comprehensive review of cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses

Mehmet Ali Yüzbaşıoğlu

Abstract

Keywords:

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