Good Research Practices for Measuring Drug Costs in Cost-Effectiveness Analyses:A Managed Care Perspective: The ISPOR Drug Cost Task Force Report—Part IIIvhe_661 1..4

Objectives: The objective of this report is to provide guidance and rec-ommendations on how drug costs should be measured for cost-effectiveness analyses conducted from the perspective of a managed care organization (MCO). Methods: The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Out-comes Research (ISPOR) Task Force on Good Research Practices—Use of Drug Costs for Cost Effectiveness Analysis (DCTF) was appointed by the ISPOR Board of Directors. Members were experienced developers or users of CEA models. The DCTF met to develop core assumptions and an outline before preparing a draft report. They solicited comments on drafts from external reviewers and from the ISPOR membership at ISPOR meet-ings and via the ISPOR Web site. Results: The cost of a drug to an MCO equals the amount it pays to the dispenser for the drug’s ingredient cost and dispensing fee minus th