Nabumetone compared with Ibuprofen and a weighted NSAID combination: an economic evaluation

Summary

An economic evaluation has been performed to assess the cost effectiveness of using nabumetone to treat Osteoarthritis (OA) or Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) compared to alternative NSAIDs (plain NSAIDs only, ie. excludes combinations). Clinical decision analysis has been used to model the costs and outcomes of treatment building on the results of a large, open label, randomised, controlled, multicentre US clinical study, from an NHS perspective. In the treatment of OA/RA, nabumetone carries a lower risk of major side effects and potential associated mortality, than either ibuprofen or a weighted NSAID comparator. The cost per life year gained, by prescribing nabumetone, in place of other NSAIDs, ranges from £1,656 to £3,087.

If reducing the risk of major side effects is a priority then the additional potential costs of prescribing Nabumetone to achieve this end compares favourably to many expenditures already made within the NHS. On this basis, prescribing nabumetone for OA/RA may be considered a cost effective use of resources from a health service perspective.