Written by International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences, 2013, 2, 2, 55-57.
Published: June 2013
Type: Short Communication
Authors: Maurizio Capuozzo, Alessandro Ottaiano, Eduardo Nava, Stefania Cascone, Claudia Cinque, Adriano Vercellone, and Rosario Vincenzo Iaffaioli
Author(s) affiliations:
Maurizio Capuozzo1*, Alessandro Ottaiano2, Eduardo Nava3, Stefania Cascone1, Claudia Cinque4, Adriano Vercellone1, Rosario Vincenzo Iaffaioli2
1Department of Pharmacy at the Local Sanitary Agency (LSA) Naples 3 South, Herculaneum, Naples, Italy.
2Department of Colorectal Oncology at the National Cancer Institute, “G. Pascale” foundation, Naples, Italy.
3Department of Pharmacy at the LSA Naples 3 South, Nola, Naples, Italy.
4Pharmacist at the LSA Naples 1 Center, Naples, Italy.
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important sanitary problem due to its worldwide distribution and high social im-pact; severe complications of chronic hepatitis induced by HBV are cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We conducted a survey with the aim i) to show the updated prevalence of the disease and ii) to evaluate the economic impact of treatment with oral agents (nucleoside and nucleotide analog inhibitors) in a region of the South Italy com-prising 1.012.304 inhabitants. Between January and December 2012, 778 patients with hepatitis B (prevalence: 0.08%) were treated. The total pharmaceutical cost was € 2.082.926 (3% of the total sanitary expense). Oral drugs against HVB have a moderate impact on the pharmaceutical spending. The major economic impact associated with HBV infection is primarily represented by the later development of cirrhosis and HCC.