Modeling the Likely Economic Cost of Non-Adherence to TB Medicines in the Philippines

Modeling the Likely Economic Cost of Non-Adherence to TB Medicines in the Philippines

By: David Collins, Hugo Lam, Firdaus Firdaus, J. Antipolo, P. Mangao
Publication: International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung DiseaseSept. 2020; 24 (9): 902-9(8). DOI: https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtld.19.0652.

Abstract

Setting 

The Philippines has a population of over 90 million people and is one of the 22 highest TB burden countries in the world.

Objective

To understand the economic cost of non-adherence to TB medicines due to loss to follow up and stock-outs in the Philippines.

Design

Data were collected on the economic costs of non-adherence to TB medicines and a model was developed to show those costs under different scenarios.

Results

The model showed that as many as 1958 and 233 persons are likely to have died as a result of DS-TB and MDR-TB loss to follow up, respectively, and 588 persons are likely to have died as a result of TB medicine stock outs. The related economic impact in each case is likely have been to be as much as US$72.2 million, US$13.4 million and US$21.0 million, respectively.

Conclusion

The economic costs of non-adherence to TB medicines due to loss to follow-up and stock-outs represent a significant economic burden for the country and it is likely that the cost of addressing these problems would be much less than this burden and, therefore, a wise investment.