Statistical issues in Bayesian cost–effectiveness analysis

Abstract

Cost–effectiveness analysis of medical treatments searchfor choosing an “optimal”treatment among a set of k≥2 alternative treatments T1,...,Tk for a given disease .It isimposed that the cost and the effectiveness of the treatments are taken into accountin the selection procedure. We focus the problem as a Bayesian statistical decision problem, present their elements and illustrate the procedure. Further, we discuss so me difficulties aris-ingincost– effectiveness analysis when heterogeneity is present in the cost an deffectiveness data. Heterogenous data implies in cost– effectiveness analysis theneed of considering special statistical techniques such as Bayesian meta–analysis and Bayesian probabilistic clustering.