ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Knowledge of what is being measured with different types of analysis - CORRECT
ANSWER - 1. Cost-minimization outcome: clinical measure
2. Cost-effectiveness outcome: clinical measure
3. Cost-benefit outcome: dollars
4. Cost-utility outcome: Quality adjusted life years (QALYs)
5. Cost-consequence outcome: multiple (any of the above)
6. Cost-of-illness outcome: not assessed
Cost for all methodologies in dollars
Knowledge of the criteria necessary to use certain analysis types (ability to select correct analysis
type when given examples) - CORRECT ANSWER - CMA: used when two or more
therapeutic interventions are EQUIVALENT in terms of their outcomes or consequences
CEA: outcomes are measured on same scale, however are NOT equivalent
CBA: outcomes can be measured in different units, both cost and benefits are in dollars
CUA: like CEA, except the outcome is QALYs, uses utility values on scale of 0-1 (death-perfect
health).
Knowledge of what pharmacoeconomics is and what it evaluates - CORRECT ANSWER -
Definition: describes a compilation of methodologies that evaluate economic, clinical, and
humanistic outcomes (ECHO) of pharmaceutical products and services
Can be used to evaluate formulary products, treatment guidelines, prior authorizations and step-
therapy policies, disease management, etc
Apply understanding of QALY in a cost-utility analysis - CORRECT ANSWER - Quality
Adjusted Life Years
, Takes into account if additional life years are of quality or not, using utility value scale. You
could do a CEA, but maybe the additional life years are in a coma and on a ventilator versus
being able to live at home with little to no assistance.
To determine the QALY you multiply the additional years by the utility value.
The total cost is then divided by the QALY to get the CU ratio (Cost/QALY)
Differentiate between the two types of decision analysis discussed - CORRECT
ANSWER - Decision Analysis: utilizes a statistical model to analyze clinical and resource
data already in the literature
Two Types of Decision Analysis
1. Decision Tree:
Direct observation not feasible, sum of probabilities of a cost occurring x the cost estimated for
treatment alternatives
2. Markov Model
In terms of "health states", better for chronic diseases, looks at probability of being well, ill, or
dead.
Takes into account a patient may go between well and ill multiple times, only dead once
All of the following are types of Pharmacoeconomics Analyses EXCEPT:
A: Cost-minimization analysis (CMA)
B: Cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
C: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA)
D: Cost-usefullness analysis (CUA) - CORRECT ANSWER -D
Compares the costs and consequences of two or more therapeutic interventions that are
equivalent in terms of their outcomes or consequences
A: Cost-minimization analysis (CMA)
B: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA)
C: Cost-of-illness (COI) analyses
D: Cost-usefullness analysis (CUA) - CORRECT ANSWER -A