Analysis of TNF Inhibitors

Based on routine data, DEXHELPP analyzed the amount of TNF inhibitors in Austria. TNF inhibitors are expensive medicines causing a substantial amount of costs in the healthcare system. Several patents on these medicines expire in the coming years. Hence, cheaper biosimilars allow significant savings- an important question for health system. The main focus was finding out how many patients are given TNF inhibitors for each disease out of rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis und ankylosing spondylitis. Special interest was given to treatment prevalence, incidence and end of treatment with TNF inhibitors. In addition the project was an excellent example for analysis of morbidity based on treatment as seen in routine data.