Pharmacoeconomics of obesity in China: a scoping review

ABSTRACT

Background: With the growing rate of obesity and associated chronic conditions in China, there is a need to assess the health and economic burdens of obesity and examine the effectiveness of pharmaceutical, medical, and comprehensive weight-loss interventions.

Areas covered: This article reviewed publications retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar during 2010–2020 on pharmacoeconomic studies related to overweight and obesity in China. We identified five cost-of-illness studies and four cost-effectiveness analyses of weight-loss interventions, including bariatric surgeries and a comprehensive intervention program.

Expert opinion: There is a lack of pharmacoeconomic analyses of obesity in China. Existing studies have often taken the health system perspective without accounting for productivity loss. Cohort studies and studies based on electronic health records or claims data are needed to provide the epidemiologic parameters required for homegrown economic evaluations of the health and economic burdens of obesity in China, as well as the cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce obesity and its sequela.

KEYWORDS:

• Bariatric surgery
• China
• cost-effectiveness
• cost-of-illness
• economic evaluation
• obesity
• overweight

Article highlights

• There is a lack of pharmacoeconomic analyses of obesity treatments in China.

• Estimates of the total direct medical cost of overweight and obesity in China range between $8.4 - $23.9 billion, and indirect medical cost is estimated at $62.6 billion.

• The few pharmacoeconomic analyses of obesity treatment in China have assessed the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgeries and comprehensive medical intervention (blood glucose management).

• Variations in methods used and study quality exist among the existing pharmacoeconomic analyses of obesity treatments in China.

• Guidelines and capacity building would benefit the field of pharmacoeconomic analysis of obesity in China.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosure

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.