Costminimisation
analysis does not ignore health
outcomes, but actually requires proof that
outcomes are clinically equivalent to
legitimise the use of this technique. This
opens up a new and complex array of issues
that need to be addressed prior to utilising
this technique. What do we mean by ‘clinical
equivalence’ and what evidence is required to
support such equivalence (non-inferiority
trials, equivalence trials or real-world audit
data). Such theoretical considerations need to
be addressed if cost-minimisation analysis is
to be appropriately employed as a valid
technique of economic evaluation.clear, however, is that it is highly
inappropriate to simply assume clinical
equivalence between competing therapies as a
justification for the use of cost-minimisation
analysis. For further discussion