Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105056

Haim Erder, PhD¹, Derek Weycker, PhD², and Gerry Oster, PhD². (1) Forest Laboratories, Inc., Harborside Financial Center, Plaza V, 19th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311, 201-427-8431, Haim.Erder@frx.com, (2) Policy Analysis Inc. (PAI), Four Davis Court, Brookline, MA 02445

Objective: Acamprosate therapy has been reported to be cost-effective in maintaining abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients who are initiating psychosocial rehabilitation. We undertook this study to update estimates of the economic benefits of such therapy.

Methods: Estimated costs were compared over one year between patients assumed to receive acamprosate as an adjunct to psychosocial rehabilitation versus psychosocial rehabilitation alone. Costs included those of acamprosate therapy, psychosocial rehabilitation services, and alcohol-related hospitalizations and physician visits. Estimates of resource use were obtained from a German prospective open-label cohort study (Rychlik et al. 2003). Unit costs were estimated using U.S. secondary data sources (in 2004 U.S. dollars).

Results: The cost of acamprosate therapy over one year was estimated to be $62,600 per 100 patients (mean duration of treatment, 180 days); estimated costs of psychosocial rehabilitation services were similar in the two groups. Costs of alcohol-related hospitalizations and physician visits per 100 patients, however, were estimated to be $96,800 lower among those assumed to receive acamprosate. On an overall basis, therefore, the estimated cost of alcohol-related care per 100 patients was $34,200 lower in the group receiving acamprosate plus psychosocial rehabilitation versus those receiving psychosocial rehabilitation alone.

Conclusions: Acamprosate therapy to maintain abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients initiating psychosocial rehabilitation generates significant cost savings.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to assess the economic benefit of treating alcohol-dependent patients with acamprosate versus standard care alone.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF Forest Laboratories, Inc. Employee.