An economic model to assess the cost-benefit of BNCT

Martti Kulvik; Raine Hermans; Ismo Linnosmaa; Joel Shalowitz

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.08.021

An economic model to assess the cost-benefit of BNCT

Appl Radiat Isot. 2015 Dec:106:3-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.08.021. Epub 2015 Aug 19.

Authors

Martti Kulvik¹, Raine Hermans², Ismo Linnosmaa³, Joel Shalowitz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: martti.kulvik@etla.fi.
² Aalto University School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland.
³ National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
⁴ Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.

PMID: 26365901
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2015.08.021

Abstract

We have constructed a formal model on cost-benefit of new technology in health care, and apply it on boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). We assume that the patient health benefit from getting cured in acute treatment is always higher than the patient utility resulting from any long term treatment or death. This assumption makes it possible to evaluate the monetary cost impacts of a new technology and relate these measures to the patient health benefit.

Keywords: BNCT; Costs; Health care; Technology.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy / economics*
Cost-Benefit Analysis*
Humans
Models, Economic*
Neoplasms / radiotherapy
Quality-Adjusted Life Years