A Comprehensive Review of COVID-19 Treatments: Efficacy and Economic Evaluation
By Danélia Botes
October 20, 2023
COVID-19 Treatments: A Race Against Time
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an urgent need for effective treatments of this unknown disease. As of January 2023, there have been over 620 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than six-and-a-half million deaths worldwide. In the UK alone, the numbers are staggering with more than 24 million cases and nearly 200,000 deaths during this time.
Various treatments have been developed and used to help people who have been hospitalised due to COVID-19 or are at high risk of needing hospitalisation. These include casirivimab/imdevimab, tocilizumab, remdesivir, baricitinib, and baricitinib with remdesivir for hospitalised patients. For patients at high risk, treatments include casirivimab/imdevimab, molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir, sotrovimab, and tixagevimab/cilgavimab.
Evaluating Clinical Efficacy and Cost-effectiveness
The objective of this study was to summarise the current knowledge related to the clinical efficacy of these interventions and to conduct an economic evaluation that estimates the cost-effectiveness of each intervention against standard of care (SoC).
Despite the urgency, these treatments have not received positive guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) before being routinely used. As the pandemic subsides, there is more need for a formal evaluation of these treatments.
The results of the study, however, should be treated with caution due to changes in the conditions when the pivotal studies were undertaken and the current conditions in terms of the SoC, the percentage of people who have been vaccinated and a change in the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant.
🧬 Unlock the potential of AI in genetic diagnosis with AI-MARRVEL! Discover how this innovative system is transforming the diagnosis of Rare disorders, making it faster and more accurate than ever. 🚀 #GeneticDiagnosis #AIMARRVEL #LifeSciences #AIinHealthcare
🔍 Struggling with undiagnosed genetic conditions? AI-MARRVEL offers a new hope for patients and clinicians. Learn more about this cutting-edge technology. #PrecisionMedicine #HealthcareInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence
📈 Embrace the future of healthcare with AI-driven solutions that is cost effective. #DigitalHealth #MedicalAI #HealthTech
Discover the balance between fair drug pricing and pharmacy sustainability in our latest article. 📊💡 How does the Inflation Reduction Act shape the future for pharmacies? Find out more and join the conversation on fair drug pricing strategies. #FairDrugPricing #PharmacySustainability #HealthcareReform #LifeSciencesConsulting
🚀 #HealthcareReform is on the horizon in South Africa! 🇿🇦 President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the #NHI Bill into law, promising universal health coverage and a more equitable society. As the nation prepares for this landmark change, stay informed on what this means for citizens and the healthcare industry. #UniversalHealthCoverage #SouthAfricanHealthcare 🏥💡
When you partner with Syenza, it’s like a Nuclear Fusion.
Our expertise are combined with yours, and we contribute clinical expertise and advanced degrees in
health policy, health economics, systems analysis, public finance, business, and project management. You’ll also feel our high-impact global and local perspectives with cultural intelligence.