Background and objective: Biotechnologic drugs have a high impact in health system because they contribute in new indications as well as in its high cost. The study's aim is to do a descriptive analysis from the pharmacoeconomic studies. The objective of the study was to establish the standards of efficiency and utility, as well as to know its therapeutic usefulness and rationale.
Material and method: The detection and selection of originals has been made through repeated searches in MEDLINE (PubMed) with every one of the different biotechnology products crossing the product name with life, year and saved. In function of the cost for year of life saved (YLS) were defined categories: saving of cost (< 0$/YLS), highly cost-effectiveness (0-20000$/YLS), cost-effectiveness (20001-40000$/YLS), doubtfully cost-effectiveness (40001-60000$/YLS), and no cost-effectiveness (> 60001$/YLS).
Results: There are published figures only in 31% of the total of the searched biotechnological drugs. In 2 clinic conditions the drug reduces the cost, in 33 is highly cost-effectiveness, in 11 is cost-effectiveness, in 4 occasions is doubtfull cost-effectiveness and in 14 is no cost-effectiveness.
Conclusions: In spite of the high heterogeneity of methodology used in the pharmacoeconomic studies about biotechnological products, in the majority of the clinic situations evaluated we observed a good cost-effectiveness relation in the use of the biotechnological products.