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Background <p>The Asia–Pacific (AP) region carries a substantial burden of HBV. Affordable HBV treatment is crucial to attain WHO’s elimination goal. This study assesses the pricing and affordability of HBV treatment in AP.</p> Methods <p>A survey conducted among APASL members from 2&#xa0;Aug to 30&#xa0;Oct, 2023, gathered data on antiviral HBV drugs, treatment costs covering stages of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), compensated cirrhosis (CC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver transplant, and monitoring expenses. Drug costs for TDF and ETV were compared to international reference price (TDF: $30, ETV: $36 per person per year), generating a median price ratio (MPR) where MPR &lt; 1 indicated an acceptable local price. Affordability was evaluated by comparing yearly CHB&#xa0;treatment cost to yearly minimum wage in each country/area, all converted to 2023 US$.</p> Results <p>ETV costs ranged from $42 per person per year in Pakistan to $2640 in Malaysia, while TDF costs varied from $12 in mainland China to $2446 in Hong Kong. Almost all MPR exceeded 1. Affordability of HBV treatment varied, with CHB patients in Australia paying 1.4% of minimum yearly wage to get 1&#xa0;year CHB treatment, in contrast to Myanmar’s 78.6%. Affordability disparities were also evident for patients with CC, HCC, and liver-transplant needs, though monitoring costs were generally affordable.</p> Conclusions <p>Despite patent expiration and availability of low-cost generics for TDF and ETV, HBV medication costs in Asia–Pacific region remain high. CHB treatment is generally unaffordable for patients, posing a significant barrier to HBV elimination in this endemic region.</p>

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Assessing pricing and affordability of HBV treatment in Asia–Pacific region: a barrier to elimination

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月3日

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  • Jing Chen,
  • Jidong Jia,
  • Hui Zhuang,
  • Wenhong Zhang,
  • Jin Mo Yang,
  • Tawesak Tanwandee,
  • Diana Payawal,
  • Saeed Hamid,
  • Shiv Kumar Sarin,
  • Masao Omata,
  • Guiqiang Wang,
  • George Lau

摘要

Background

The Asia–Pacific (AP) region carries a substantial burden of HBV. Affordable HBV treatment is crucial to attain WHO’s elimination goal. This study assesses the pricing and affordability of HBV treatment in AP.

Methods

A survey conducted among APASL members from 2 Aug to 30 Oct, 2023, gathered data on antiviral HBV drugs, treatment costs covering stages of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), compensated cirrhosis (CC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver transplant, and monitoring expenses. Drug costs for TDF and ETV were compared to international reference price (TDF: $30, ETV: $36 per person per year), generating a median price ratio (MPR) where MPR < 1 indicated an acceptable local price. Affordability was evaluated by comparing yearly CHB treatment cost to yearly minimum wage in each country/area, all converted to 2023 US$.

Results

ETV costs ranged from $42 per person per year in Pakistan to $2640 in Malaysia, while TDF costs varied from $12 in mainland China to $2446 in Hong Kong. Almost all MPR exceeded 1. Affordability of HBV treatment varied, with CHB patients in Australia paying 1.4% of minimum yearly wage to get 1 year CHB treatment, in contrast to Myanmar’s 78.6%. Affordability disparities were also evident for patients with CC, HCC, and liver-transplant needs, though monitoring costs were generally affordable.

Conclusions

Despite patent expiration and availability of low-cost generics for TDF and ETV, HBV medication costs in Asia–Pacific region remain high. CHB treatment is generally unaffordable for patients, posing a significant barrier to HBV elimination in this endemic region.