Increasing healthcare expenditures, aging population, prevalence of chronic diseases and high-cost pharmaceutical innovations have made efficient use of resources in healthcare systems mandatory. In this context, health economics and pharmacoeconomics have become important tools in both policy development and clinical decision-making processes. This review aims to explain the basic principles of health economics and pharmacoeconomics, evaluate the main types of analyses (cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-minimization and budget impact analyses) and present real-world applications of these analyses with examples. In addition, how pharmacoeconomic assessments are integrated into drug reimbursement and health technology assessment (HTA) processes in various countries is examined. In the study, regional differences, difficulties encountered in implementation and future perspectives are discussed using global data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), OECD and national health institutions. As a result, it is emphasized that pharmacoeconomic analyses play an indispensable role in the construction of a sustainable and patient-centered healthcare system.
Mehmet Ali Yüzbaşıoğlu (Sun,) studied this question.