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Cost-effectiveness of screening blood donors for hepatitis C and non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis

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Abstract

The current approach to screening for hepatitis C and non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in French blood transfusion centers involves a combination of a transaminase assay and tests for antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). A decision-analysis model was used to assess the cost-effectiveness ratio of this approach compared to the former approach, which included only transaminase and anti-HBc screening. Cost data were collected by a questionnaire sent to 26 centers throughout France. The average costs of diagnostic kits, equipment, staff, and administration were calculated. Estimates of prevalence and sensitivity values came from the medical literature. The cost-effectiveness ratio was expressed in French francs per infected donor detected. A sensitivity analysis of the variables in the model was performed to estimate the validity of the cost-effectiveness ratio. For 100,000 donations the incremental cost of the current approach reached FrF 2,566,111 (about US $ 500,000), with a marginal effectiveness of 180 donations detected. The sensitivity analysis showed the effect of prevalence on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Transfusion centers may change their screening approach in areas of high or low prevalence of hepatitis C in France.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département d'Information Médicale des Hospices Civils de Lyon, HÔtel-Dieu, 1 Place de l'HÔpital, 69288, Lyon Cedex 02, France

    C. Colin, P. Vergnon, S. Excoffier & Y. Matillon

  2. HÔpital Saint Antoine, Centre de Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France

    A. M. Jullien

  3. Unité INSERM 271, Lyon, France

    C. Trepo

  4. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Metz

    J. P. Aymard

  5. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Bois Guillaume

    D. Bastit

  6. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Angers

    M. L. Bidet

  7. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Lille

    R. Breviere

  8. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, La Tronche Grenoble

    F. Chenais

  9. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Bordeaux

    F. Hau

  10. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Annecy

    D. Houssay

  11. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Bobigny

    A. Mercadier

  12. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Le Chesnay

    P. Maisonneuve

  13. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Paris-Kremlin BicÊtre

    M. Lambert

  14. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Strasbourg

    C. Waller

  15. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Nantes

    D. Boudart

  16. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Marseille

    C. Cotte

  17. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Rungis

    M. H. Elghouzzi

  18. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Vandoeuvre les Nancy

    C. Janot

  19. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Montpellier

    M. Daudet

  20. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Saint Brieux

    M. Menault

  21. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Lyon

    M. Montcharmont

  22. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Toulouse

    W. Smilovici

  23. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Paris-Pitié Salpétrière

    C. Fretz

  24. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Saint Laurent du Var

    R. Follana

  25. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Vienne

    M. Doillon

  26. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Saint Etienne

    J. C. Le Petit

  27. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, BesanÇon

    P. Herve

  28. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Chambéry

    B. Loyer

  29. European Acute Transfusion Hepatitis Interferon Study-Economics, Paris-Necker, France

    B. Mattlinger

Authors
  1. C. Colin
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  2. P. Vergnon
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  3. A. M. Jullien
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  4. S. Excoffier
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  5. Y. Matillon
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  6. C. Trepo
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  7. J. P. Aymard
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  8. D. Bastit
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  9. M. L. Bidet
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  10. R. Breviere
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  11. F. Chenais
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  12. F. Hau
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  13. D. Houssay
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  14. A. Mercadier
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  15. P. Maisonneuve
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  16. M. Lambert
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  17. C. Waller
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  18. D. Boudart
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  19. C. Cotte
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  20. M. H. Elghouzzi
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  21. C. Janot
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  22. M. Daudet
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  23. M. Menault
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  24. M. Montcharmont
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  25. W. Smilovici
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  26. C. Fretz
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  27. R. Follana
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  28. M. Doillon
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  29. J. C. Le Petit
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  30. P. Herve
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  31. B. Loyer
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  32. B. Mattlinger
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Colin, C., Vergnon, P., Jullien, A.M. et al. Cost-effectiveness of screening blood donors for hepatitis C and non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 16, 220–227 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01709585

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