A research group led by Tomoyuki Takura, a specially appointed professor at the University of Tokyo, has shown that the introduction of the therapeutic drug "rituximab" may be more economical than the conventional treatment for nephrotic syndrome. ..
Nephrotic syndrome is an intractable disease in which symptoms such as swelling are seen due to impaired kidney function.Treatment with steroids is common, but there are quite a few patients who have repeated recurrences and who cannot reduce the dosage at all, and there are concerns about side effects due to the use of long-term steroids.
Rituximab, a molecular-targeted therapeutic agent, has been reported to be effective against these refractory steroid syndromes.However, due to its high price, the pressure on medical finance is a problem for its widespread use.
The research group now administers rituximab to patients with nephrotic syndrome and compares total medical costs in the two years before and after introduction.As a result, after the introduction of rituximab, the medical cost was lower than before the introduction even if the cost of rituximab was included.This decrease was mainly due to a decrease in hospitalization costs.
Newly developed therapies, such as molecular-targeted therapies, are generally expensive and therefore have medical economic debates.However, this study shows that new therapies may help reduce the financial burden.It has become clear that the development of cost-effective therapeutic agents has not only improved prognosis for patients but also medical financial value.
