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CHAPTER 8

Economic Evaluation and Cost-

Effectiveness Analysis of Genomic

Medicine Interventions in Developing

and Emerging Countries

Anastasios Mpitsakos*, Christina Mitropoulou**,
Theodora Katsila*, George P. Patrinos* ,†
*University of Patras School of Health Sciences, Patras, Greece; **The Golden
†
Helix Foundation, London, United Kingdom; United Arab Emirates University,
Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacogenomics focuses on the implementation of individual genomic
information in the context of clinical care (e.g., for diagnostic or therapeutic
decision-making) as well as the health outcomes and policy implications of
that clinical use. Today, several clinical studies and data report the pharma-
cogenomics benefit, especially when patient stratification is needed in various
clinical fields, such as those of oncology, cardiology, rare and undiagnosed
diseases, and infectious diseases. For this, both the United States Food and
Drug Administration (FDA; http://www.fda.gov/) and the European Medicines
Agency (EMA; http://www.ema.europa.eu/) have added pharmacogenomics
labeling on approved drugs.
One may say that the goal of any health system is to provide high-quality health
services to their defined population on an equal basis, to allow quick access to
innovation that improves value, to produce a large number of health services
to meet the needs of the population, and to do all of this efficiently by con-
suming as few resources as possible. In most developed and emerging coun-
tries, these health system activities are centrally organized through complex
systems of political oversight, planning, and financing. Nevertheless, achiev-
ing these goals is impeded by certain factors, such as demographic problems,
new expensive health technologies, unhealthy lifestyle, medical errors, supply-
induced demand for services, and public expectations.

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