Introduction
Acne vulgaris is one of the most common dermatological diseases, affecting about 650 million people worldwide. The development of new anti-acne products is both time- and cost-consuming. The cost-effectiveness analysis enables an economic evaluation of the resources invested and the results obtained.
Aim
The aim of the study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of seven new active complexes of natural origin developed for use in cosmetic products for oily and acne-prone skin.
Materials and methods
The active complexes were designated as A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Volunteers with a mild to moderate form of acne, between 18 and 60 years of age, applied various cosmetic products with the active complexes for a period of 2 to 8 weeks. Their skin condition was assessed by a dermatologist, both at the beginning and at the end of their treatment. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed by determining the average cost per unit outcome and calculating an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).
Results
The cost per unit of effect (1% skin condition improvement) in euros was calculated for each of the active complexes. The calculation was based on the percentage content of the active ingredient necessary to obtain the maximum effect for the corresponding period of application. The cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) has the lowest value of 0.0028 EUR for alternative C, that dominates over the others. The rest of the active complexes are in the following order: B > F > E > G > D > A. After calculating the ICER, the highest added value was observed when comparing complex A with C (0.2405 EUR for an additional 1% improvement) and the lowest when comparing F with D (0.00031 EUR for an additional 1% improvement).
Conclusion
The analysis of the results shows that in a test for in vivo efficacy in acne, the most "cost-effective" solution is active complex C (based on avocado oil). According to the cost-effectiveness analysis, it could be considered a cost-effective alternative to the other active complexes.
Библиография
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