The value of a Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) used to screen medicines for inclusion in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) in 2013 was 160,000 baht per QALY. Any medicines that cost less than this amount is considered to be cost-effective. However, is this figure consistent with publ

Due to the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in aging populations and the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that results from NCDs is a growing concern in Indonesia. With the target of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2019, public prov

Sildenafil is a treatment option for PAH patients that is found to offer an additional 1-3 life years gained for PAH patients compared to beraprost, currently the only treatment available in the benefit package under the National Social Health Insurance (Jaminan Kasehatan Nasional – JKN) of Indonesi

Primary care services are health services which are the first point of contact in the healthcare system and play a role in the health of the local population. The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) project, which is managed by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and National Health Security Offic

The use of off-label medicines is an unexplored area for healthcare priority setting, though it is common practice in countries and can have a significant positive or negative effect on health outcomes and the efficiency of health care systems. It is therefore important to have a rational an

In Bhutan, respiratory infections are some of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children. Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, is among the top 10 common causes of children’s death in the country. Not only does it impose costs on society that may not be immediately visible (e.g. produ

In 2015, a HITAP International Unit (HIU) survey identified the major challenges (both contextual and technical) to the conduct of rigorous economic evaluations for policymakers’ use in healthcare decision making. • From this study, HITAP created an online platform called the Guide to health Econ

It is vital to have evidence-informed clinical practice guidelines or clinical indications to guide the usage of high-cost drugs in the benefits package under the Indonesian universal health coverage (JKN), managed by BPJS Kesehatan. A transparent and legit mechanism is required to support and mo

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Indonesia with approximately 28,000 patients diagnosed each year. Without population-based screening, patients are often treated when they reach the advanced stage. Bevacizumab, a newly available high-cost treatment for metastatic colorectal ca

Cetuximab is provided for mCRC patients with positive KRAS wild type, and also head and neck cancer patients as indicated in the Indonesian National Drug Formulary. However, currently, it is also used for indications not specified in the National Drug Formulary. Adding cetuximab to chemothera