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The cost of blood transfusions in cancer patients: a reanalysis of a Canadian economic evaluation

Health Economics and Outcomes Research Unit, Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Canada

Background. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are at an increased risk for anemia. Hence, they are high consumers of allogenic blood transfusions. In 1997, an economic evaluation was undertaken at the Princess Margaret Hospital to estimate the cost of a transfusion in cancer patients. The analysis relied on published costing information and on an internal review of patient resource utilization. Overall, the cost of a blood transfusion was estimated at Can$599. Since 1997, there have been some major changes in the management of Canada's blood supply and within the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Methods. In order to evaluate how these changes affected the cost of a transfusion in cancer patients, the original 1997 economic database was reanalyzed using updated 1999 costing information obtained from Canadian Blood Services (CBS) and from the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Results. The reanalysis suggested that the cost of a blood transfusion in cancer patients increased from Can$599 in 1997 to Can$731 in 1999. The major incremental costs responsible for this increase were additional screening tests, increased opportunity costs for donors and a modest rise in distribution and administration within the hospital. Costs that were no longer relevant in 1999 were the cost of treating transfusion-related infections.

Conclusions. These results support the findings of the original publication that a unit of blood is a highly resource intensive commodity which requires that each blood unit be used appropriately. Therefore, preventative strategies that would reduce the use of blood products have to be identified and implemented.

Key Words: Blood transfusion • cost analysis

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