COST MINIMIZATION ANALYSIS Prof.

Mahmoud Alhaddad

(CMA)
INTRODUCTION
CMA is a pharmacoeconomic tool which measures and compares input
costs and assumes outcomes to be equivalent.
It is similar to Cost Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) in which outcomes are
measured in natural units, but the difference lies in which outcomes are
considered to be equivalent in CMA.
There is a critique to CMA since it compares costs only.
A full pharmacoeconomics analysis is expected to compare both costs
and outcomes.
Therefore few studies are found to use CMA.
Since outcomes are considered equivalent, researchers should be sure
that outcomes are really equivalent.
Results are presented as average cost or per patient cost.
It is important to present evidence supporting equivalence of outcomes
as well (e.g. any statistical tests that were conducted or references
from the literature).
APPLICATIONS OF CMA
A. Application of CMA is reserved for situations that involve the
analysis of alternatives with equivalent outcomes.
B. Generic versus brand name:
I. Most often referred to in CMA.
II. Equivalence of outcomes can be confirmed through published bioequivalence
ratings.
III. Differences are usually in acquisition costs alone
IV. Rarely published in the literature
C. CMA of different routes of administration (IV versus IM)
D. CMA of different administration settings (Hospital versus home).
E. CMA of different antibiotic therapies.