Anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies for the preventive treatment of migraine: a cost-effectiveness analysis in the Italian scenario.

Abstract

Migraine is a neurological disease with a high frequency of incidence. The new monoclonal antibodies anti the calcitonin gene-related peptide ligand (anti-Cgrp mAbs) have demonstrated a good effectiveness in the prevention of migraine. This review was carried out with the aim of collecting evidence of anti-Cgrp mAbs efficacy assessing the cost-effectiveness between these medicines distributed in the Italian market. The literature review was performed on the PubMed database; the cost of the unitary dose of anti-Cgrp mAbs has been extracted consulting two Italian national databases. Our study confirms efficacy and good tolerability of anti-Cgrp mAbs, determining a difference in the purchase price. With equal efficacy and safety, anti-Cgrp mAbs should be prescribed also regard to the cost established at the negotiation, making sure to guarantee the best treatment to the patients, but at the same time impacting as little as possible to the national healthcare service resources. Therefore, Ssn pharmacist's role can be crucial to the proper management of pharmaceutical expenditure governance in support of treatment effectiveness and economic sustainability.