Background The economic impact of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is increasing in relation to incidence and improvement in patient survival. Clinical trials are essential to evaluate the efficacy and safety of new treatments and additionally may also result in economic benefits by avoiding the cost of investigational medicinal products (IP) to the National Health System (NHS).

Purpose Our objective was to determine the avoided cost for IP in clinical trials of HIV-1 infection conducted in a tertiary hospital.

Material and methods We carried out a cross sectional study of HIV-1 patients enrolled in clinical trials at the outpatient pharmaceutical care unit. All HIV-1 trial protocols and drug dispensing data were reviewed. The collected data involved IP (innovation and/or marketed drugs), and cost avoidance during the study period (June 2014–October 2016) was calculated. HIV-1 drug costs were obtained from the drug catalogue of the institution. The average cost of treatment of an HIV patient was used in the case of innovative drugs.

Results We included in this review 6 of 7 clinical trials on HIV-1 patients that met the selection criteria. All were phase III, multicentre, international clinical trials and incorporated at least one innovative drugs. 68 patients were included, 11% of the total number of HIV-1 patients treated in our hospital. Only 2 patients were outside the clinical trial at the time of the study, 1 who developed a rash and the other who developed neoplasia. The average number of treatment weeks per patient was 80 (SD±46). Only one of the six trials meant partial cost to the hospital, for the rest the sponsor provided all of the medication. The total cost estimated was €926 173 and total cost avoidance was €803 407€ (86.8% of total cost), and an average cost avoidance by clinical trial of €133 901. Average cost avoidance per patient was €11 808.

Conclusion Clinical trials can be a source of economic benefits for the NHS, not only by the income directly generated by each trial. Drug cost avoidance is an additional benefit that clinical trials can bring to an institution.

References and/or acknowledgements Bredin C, Eliasziw M, Syme R. Drug cost avoidance resulting from cancer clinical trials.

No conflict of interest