Key result
MS medical costs in Iran total ~$238 million, driven primarily by medication expenses.
Why the study?
Chronic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, carry a high and increasing economic burden, motivating an investigation of the medical cost of multiple sclerosis in Iran.
Cross-Sectional (n=34,964)
The medical cost of multiple sclerosis in Iran imposes a significant economic burden, primarily driven by medication costs.
BACKGROUND: Due to the high and increasing economic burden of chronic diseases, including Multiple sclerosis (MS), we aimed to investigate the medical cost of MS in Iran. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which conducted using comprehensive national prescription data from Iran's Health Insurance Organization (IHIO) and rehabilitation data from Ministry of Health and Iran Welfare Organization. The time period considered for this study was 2019-2020. In order to calculate the medical cost of MS, the cost-of-illness (COI) method was used based on the prevalence-based approach and the cost of medications, determining and diagnosing the MS risk, follow-up and rehabilitation was estimated. RESULTS: The total medical cost of MS in Iran in 2019-2020 was estimated at $238,124,160, which medications and rehabilitation services had the largest share in the medical cost of MS in Iran with 80 and 19%, respectively, and the cost share of determining and diagnosing of the disease risk accounted for about less than 1%. The total medication cost was estimated to be equal to $192,298 thousand. The total cost of determining and diagnosing of the MS risk was estimated at $348,574 and the total cost of rehabilitation services for all MS subgroups in 2019-2020 was estimated at $45,477,205. CONCLUSIONS: Results of calculating the medical cost of MS in Iran in 2019-2020 showed a significant burden on the Iranian health care system and society, among which the medication cost had the largest share, which requires serious attention of health system policymakers.
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Asadollahi et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Multiple sclerosis (n=34,964). Multiple sclerosis medical care was evaluated on Total medical cost of MS. The total medical cost of multiple sclerosis in Iran in 2019-2020 was estimated at $238,124,160, with medications and rehabilitation services accounting for 80% and 19% of the costs, respectively.
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