The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) on patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in adult patients with high risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

We performed a systematic literature search in Medline (via PubMed) and Cochrane Library in February 2022 and included studies with a study population ≥18 years and prescribed WCD. PRO include health-related quality of life (QoL), symptoms, utilities, or satisfaction ratings. Study selection was done by two reviewers independently using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality assessment of studies as well as data extraction was performed by one author and approved by a second author. Results of the included studies are presented quantitatively.

One randomized controlled trial (RCT), one comparative non-randomized trial, and three single-arm trials were included. QoL was assessed in four studies, but with different assessment tools. One study additionally evaluated the change in depressive symptoms and anxiety and one study focused on acceptability of WCD but evaluated items that are closely related to QoL. Results of the RCT show no statistically significant difference in QoL assessed by SF-36 and EQ-5D comparing WCD and Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) versus GDMT alone. One comparative study reports an improvement in depressive symptoms and anxiety within groups but no significant difference between groups. Further, one single-arm study reported improvement in QoL between baseline and day 90 and day 180.

The available evidence demonstrates that the usage of WCD is not affecting PRO, like QoL, depressive symptoms or anxiety negatively.

The management of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is rapidly evolving; however, little is known about the direct healthcare costs of nmCRPC. We aimed to estimate the cost-of-illness (COI) of nmCRPC from the Italian National Health Service perspective.

Structured, individual qualitative interviews were carried out with clinical experts to identify what healthcare resources are consumed in clinical practice. To collect quantitative estimates of healthcare resource consumption, a structured expert elicitation was performed with clinical experts using a modified version of a previously validated interactive Excel-based tool, EXPLICIT (EXPert eLICItation Tool). For each parameter, experts were asked to provide the lowest, highest, and most likely value. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were carried out to test the robustness of the results.

Ten clinical experts were interviewed, and six of them participated in the expert elicitation exercise. According to the most likely estimate, the yearly cost per nmCRPC patient is €4,710 (range, €2,243 to €8,243). Diagnostic imaging (i.e., number/type of PET scans performed) had the highest impact on cost. The PSA showed a 50 percent chance for the yearly cost per nmCRPC patient to be within €5,048 using a triangular distribution for parameters, and similar results were found using a beta-PERT distribution.

This study estimated the direct healthcare costs of nmCRPC in Italy based on a mixed-methods approach. Delaying metastases may be a reasonable goal also from an economic standpoint. These findings can inform decision-making about treatments at the juncture between non-metastatic and metastatic prostate cancer disease.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health problem. Evidence suggests an association between diabetes and cancer, but this may be distorted by confounding. This research aimed to identify and assess the evidence suggesting a causal association between T2DM and cancer.

A systematic review was conducted in Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for literature on the association between T2DM and cancer, from inception to 7 May 2021. Case-control and cohort studies published in any language were considered. Based on a targeted literature review, a directed acyclic graph for each type of cancer was developed to test whether the causal effects were adequately controlled for potential confounding.

A total of 131 studies with a low risk of bias were selected that reported 415 effect estimates of the association of T2DM with 57 types of cancer. Breast, colorectal, pancreas, prostate, and lung were the cancer sites with the highest number of studies. Causality was claimed in 57 studies, but only 34 percent of the outcomes were adequately controlled for confounders. Of the studies assessing a causal relationship for prostate and pancreatic cancer, 87 and 70 percent adequately controlled for confounding. In contrast, only 29 percent of lung cancer, 27 percent of colorectal cancer, and 17 percent of breast cancer results considered the minimal sufficient adjustment set. Lifestyle variables were identified as key potential confounders in more than 20 types of cancer, but they were not included in the analyses.

Many studies simply reported an association between diabetes and cancer. The policy implications of such studies are unclear. Of the studies claiming a causal link between diabetes and cancer, a large proportion did not adequately control for confounding. It is critical that studies take a systematic approach to identifying potential confounding factors, such as targeted reviews and the development of directed acyclic graph approaches, to estimate causal effects that may be useful in informing health policy.

The latest clinical practice guidelines for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network in 2022 recommend that patients with NSCLC (>1 and ≤2 cm) should be diagnosed as T1b. Segmentectomy and lobectomy are equally effective in treating patients with NSCLC no bigger than 2 cm, and especially for tumors no bigger than 1 cm. However, the effectiveness of these treatments for NSCLC tumors between 1 and 2 cm is unknown. We conducted a systemic review and meta- analysis to assess the efficacy of these two surgical treatments in patients with T1b stage NSCLC.

We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies investigating the efficacy of lobectomy and segmentectomy for patients with T1b stage NSCLC. Study quality was assessed with the Cochrane Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. We used random effects models to analyze overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS), expressed as hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The effect of covariates was assessed using subgroup analysis. All procedures were performed according to the PRISMA guidelines.

We identified ten cohort studies that matched our selection criteria, with general low risk of quality, including a total of 37,691 patients. No publication bias was found. Compared to lobectomy, segmentectomy had lower OS (HR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.47; p=0.026) and LCSS (HR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.42, p=0.015) before Cox regression. After multivariable Cox regression, adjusted by age, sex, histological type, and lymph node section, segmentectomy had similar OS (HR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.37; p=0.2) and LCSS (HR 1.10, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.36; p=0.8).

Segmentectomy can be used to treat patients with T1b stage NSCLC. Patients who undergo segmentectomy have survival outcomes that are the same as those of patients who received lobectomy. This evidence-based observation provides a reference for surgical choice in the treatment of patients with T1b stage NSCLC, which should be further confirmed through RCTs.

Based on a real-world collaboration with innovators in applying early health economic modeling, we aimed to offer practical steps that health technology assessment (HTA) researchers and innovators can follow and promote the usage of early HTA among research and development (R&D) communities.

The HTA researcher was approached by the innovator to carry out an early HTA ahead of the first clinical trial of the technology, a soft robotic sock for poststroke patients. Early health economic modeling was selected to understand the potential value of the technology and to help uncover the information gap. Threshold analysis was used to identify the target product profiles. Value-of-information analysis was conducted to understand the uncertainties and the need for further research.

Based on the expected price and clinical effectiveness by the innovator, the new technology was found to be cost-saving compared to the current practice. Risk reduction in deep vein thrombosis and ankle contracture, the incidence rate of ankle contracture, the compliance rate of the new technology, and utility scores were found to have high impacts on the value-for-money of the new technology. The value of information was low if the new technology can achieve the expected clinical effectiveness. A list of parameters was recommended for data collection in the impending clinical trial.

This work, based on a real-world collaboration, has illustrated that early health economic modeling can inform medical innovation development. We provided practical steps in order to achieve more efficient R&D investment in medical innovation moving forward.

The number of studies on digital health technologies (DHTs) for remote treatment and patient self-management is increasing. Existing health technology assessment (HTA) frameworks for DHTs, which guide researchers in generating evidence suitable for HTA, do not cover all domains of the commonly used EUnetHTA Core Model, and DHT-specific considerations have not been informed by a large stakeholder preference study. Our aim was to develop a stakeholder prioritized, literature-informed checklist of DHT-specific considerations that aligns with the EUnetHTA model.

We conducted two systematic reviews to identify: (i) DHT evaluation frameworks published to March 2020 for content; and (ii) primary research on DHTs published from 1 January 2015 to 20 March 2020.

Stakeholder prioritization of issues was performed using a best-worst scaling preference study among a broad cross-section of patients, carers, health professionals, and the general population in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Systematic review issues were prioritized and adapted for use as a practical checklist.

DHT evaluation content was recommended by the 44 identified frameworks for 28 of the 145 issues in the EUnetHTA model and for 22 new DHT-specific issues. A coverage assessment of 112 clinical studies of remote treatment and self-management DHTs for patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes revealed that less than half covered DHT-specific content in all but one domain, or traditional HTA content in clinical effectiveness and ethical analysis. The preference survey of 1,251 stakeholders identified broad agreement on the 12 most important DHT attributes, six of which were related to safety. The most important attribute was “helps health professionals respond quickly when changes in patient care are needed”, which is not a focus of existing DHT HTA frameworks.

The review identified mismatches in the content generated by DHT clinical studies and that required for DHT-specific HTAs. These findings informed the development of an extended checklist comprising 22 stakeholder-prioritized DHT-specific considerations, which are aligned with the EUnetHTA model and will help ensure the planning of DHT-specific research generates evidence suitable for HTA.

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is a core element of the health technology assessment (HTA) process. Since its creation in 2011, the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation (Conitec) has promoted initiatives to include stakeholders in HTA for the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS). This work aimed to present a report on the advances and challenges related to PPI in 11 years of Conitec.

A retrospective analysis of PPI actions carried out at Conitec was conducted, based on an analysis of minutes and records of meetings and discussions held internally and documents published on Conitec´s website.

Events and meetings were held over the years with different actors interested in the HTA process. Since 2015, a plain-language version of the technical report has been made available to the public during public consultations for each HTA topic. Recently, a register of patients, specialists, and SUS managers was created to form a database and establish a network with the stakeholders. Since 2020, SUS users have been allocated time to speak at Conitec´s meetings. Qualitative analysis of public consultation documents started in 2021 and a pilot qualitative evidence synthesis was carried out in 2022. These initiatives, although not directly focused on PPI, increase the consideration of the perspectives of patients, family members, and caregivers in the HTA process.

PPI actions implemented at Conitec have significantly promoted inclusiveness and exchanges among stakeholders, contributing to a greater transparency regarding Conitec’s actions. Nonetheless, we have important challenges on our horizon, such as strengthening connections with primary healthcare managers and professionals and social movements. It is also strategic to expand the technical and scientific discussion on PPI and qualitative approaches with HTA researchers and the voting members of Conitec. Finally, another aim is to improve knowledge of HTA and public health policy among law professionals and the pharmaceutical industry in Brazil.

Alternative options to hospital care like home care or local health centers (LHCs) are being advocated. However, no study has measured citizens’ preferences (who will finance these services via taxation) for these options.

We measured (i) citizens’ preferences for these services, that is, respondents stated where they would like to get the treatment; (ii) the strength of their preference.

A computerized survey composed of (i) a decision aid to inform respondents about the three options; (ii) three scenarios, from light-to-heavy care, that respondents should rank from the most to the least preferred option of care. (iii) a contingent valuation survey (CVS) to assess how much respondents were willing to pay for their preferred option (except for hospital care if chosen, because it is the default option and free). (iv) a socio-demographic questionnaire.

Data were collected from a representative sample of citizens living in the Rhône–Alps Region (n = 800). The heavier the care was, the more respondents preferred hospital care. Willingness to pay for additional taxation per household/month varied from €13.9 for light care in LHC to €19.1 for heavy home care. The small number of protesting respondents and outliers, and the close correlation between preferences, income, and WTP supports the validity of the CVS.

In France, for cancer, not all citizens would prefer to be treated at home rather than in a hospital. Only less than a quarter would prefer LHC. These results show the mismatch between public health policies and the citizens’ preferences.

The objective was to conduct a benchmarking study of available online health technology assessment (HTA) training tools for patients, specifically those used by HTA agencies and major European and international patient and consumer groups (PCGs). We compared existing online training tools on this topic in order to develop in-house HTA training tools for French patients and consumers.

A literature search and a scoping review of websites was conducted by including the websites of HTA agencies, European and international PCGs, and other bodies. This was supplemented with videoconference interviews with selected HTA agencies and patient groups. The inclusion criterion was the existence of content describing HTA and patient and public involvement (PPI) in HTA that PCGs could use (regardless of its format).

Eighty-two online training tools were selected according to the specified inclusion criterion. Sixteen international HTA bodies, nine European and international PCGs, and 13 other bodies provided online HTA training tools available for patients and consumers. No journal articles matching the inclusion criterion were found. Two broad categories of content were identified: the first relating to HTA and the second relating to PPI in HTA. Moreover, the formats of these tools ranged from interactive to non-interactive, with varying accessibility (freely available or with a paywall) and assessment methods.

These results should be considered together with budget requirements, project time constraints, human resources, and the preferences of HAS and patients when developing HTA training tools to improve the participation of patients and consumers in the HTA process at HAS.

Adherence to preventative inhaled therapies in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) is low, resulting in potentially avoidable health losses and the need for costly rescue therapies.

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of the CFHealthHub (CFHH) intervention to support adherence to inhaled medications.

A state transition model was developed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the CFHH intervention versus usual care from the perspective of the UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services over a lifetime horizon. Costs and health outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3.5 percent per annum. Costs were valued at 2021/22 prices. The model structure includes health states defined by survival status, level of lung function, and transplant history. Treatment effects were modeled by changing the probabilities of transitioning between lung function states and reducing exacerbation rates. Model parameters were informed by the CFHH trial, CF Registry data, routine cost databases, literature, and expert opinion. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken to assess uncertainty.

The CFHH intervention is expected to generate additional health gains and cost savings compared with usual care. Assuming that it is delivered for 10 years, the CFHH intervention is expected to generate 0.17 additional quality-adjusted life years and cost savings of GBP 1,600 (EUR 1,662) per patient.

The CFHH intervention is expected to dominate usual care, irrespective of the duration over which the intervention is delivered. The modeled benefits and cost savings are smaller than initially expected and are sensitive to relative treatment effects on lung function.

The French National Authority for Health’s (HAS) 2019-2024 strategic workplan called for “making public involvement a priority.” This project was designed within the roadmap validated in 2021; “Strengthening public involvement in health technology assessment (HTA) at the HAS”, including an action of building a means of training patient organizations for their contribution. The project’s overall objective was to develop with patients and consumers a first training tool, representing an online knowledge base targeting French patients and consumers to explain the HAS HTA process and assist their participation in these assessments.

Three stages were designed to meet this objective. Firstly, an international benchmark was performed of available online HTA training tools for patients and consumers, notably those used by HTA bodies and European and international patient and consumer groups (PCGs). Secondly, an internal HAS search for e-learning tools, was conducted to identify whether they could meet the training needs of French patients and consumers. Finally, the training tool was developed via a working group composed of patients and HAS scientific officers.

The benchmark identified 82 online training tools selected according to the specified inclusion criteria. Sixteen international HTA agencies, nine European and international PCGs and 13 other bodies provided online HTA training tools for patients and consumers during the research period, but no journal articles identified such tools. Eleven formats and 12 key themes, divided into two main categories were identified: important content related to HTA, and important content related to public involvement in HTA. The HAS search for e-learning tools resulted in internal e-learning tools offered for clinical experts not meeting the needs and preferences of patients and consumers. Finally, HAS based its training tool development on these preferences and needs to create a PowerPoint in two blocks of modules covering the two main categories above (six modules in total).

French patients and consumers preferences and needs for a HTA training tool were inspired by the international benchmark, dividing key themes into two main categories: important content related to HTA, and important content related to public involvement in HTA. This resulted in HAS development of two blocks of modules in PowerPoint format covering these two categories.

Numerous studies have shown that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) is not (cost-) effective in patients with symptoms attributed to a degenerative meniscus tear. We aimed to assess the budget impact of reducing APM in routine clinical practice in this population.

A patient-level state transition model was developed to simulate patients recently diagnosed with a degenerative meniscus tear. Three strategies were compared: “current guideline” (i.e., postpone surgery to at least 3 months after diagnosis), “APM at any time” (i.e., APM available directly after diagnosis), and “nonsurgical” (i.e., APM no longer performed). Total societal costs over 5 years were calculated to determine the budget impact. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were conducted to address uncertainty.

The average cost per patient over 5 years were EUR 5,077, EUR 4,577, and EUR 4,218, for the “APM at any time,” “current guideline,” and “nonsurgical” strategy, respectively. Removing APM from the treatment mix (i.e., 30,000 patients per year) in the Netherlands, resulted in a reduction in health care expenditures of EUR 54 million (95 percent confidence interval [CI] EUR 38 million–EUR 70 million) compared to the “current guideline strategy” and EUR 129 million (95 percent CI EUR 102 million–EUR 156 million) compared to the “APM at any time” strategy. Sensitivity analyses showed that uncertainty did not alter our conclusions.

Substantial costs can be saved when APM is no longer performed to treat symptoms attributed to degenerative meniscus tears in the Netherlands. It is therefore recommended to further reduce the use of APM to treat degenerative meniscus tears.

There is currently no standardized way to share information about health technology assessment (HTA). Standardised Data on Initiatives (STARDIT) addresses current limitations and inconsistencies in sharing data about HTA processes by providing a way to report these data, including which stakeholders have been involved, their tasks, what methods and data sources were used, and any impacts or outcomes observed.

STARDIT development began in 2019 and was guided by participatory action research paradigms. A multidisciplinary international team of over 100 citizens, experts, and data users was involved in co-creating STARDIT. These co-creators include cancer patients, people affected by rare diseases, Indigenous peoples from multiple countries, representatives involved in HTA processes, health researchers, environmental researchers, economists, librarians, and academic publishers. Methods of involving people included public events, online discussions, and a public consultation process. STARDIT is free to use, and data can be submitted by anyone. Report authors can be verified to improve trust and transparency, and data can be checked for quality.

STARDIT can help create high-quality standardized information about HTA processes that can be accessed and edited by anyone. STARDIT enables data reporting at all stages of the HTA process and works in multiple languages. This allows stakeholders involved in or affected by HTA processes (including patients, the public, Indigenous peoples, and people from industry) to appraise and edit information and to self-identify the labels and terminology used to describe them. Organizations such as the Cochrane Collaboration, Australian Genomics, and multiple universities have created STARDIT reports. A link to the working beta version can be found at scienceforall.world/STARDIT.

STARDIT offers those conducting HTA access to standardized information that enables well-founded comparisons of the effectiveness of different HTA methods, including the most effective methods of involving stakeholders. STARDIT allows anyone to access data about HTA processes, which can support participatory ways of working and help improve the equity and quality of HTA processes worldwide.

This study aimed to provide a structured description of the commonalities and differences in healthcare structures across Africa to establish a reliable basis for the health technology assessment (HTA) of nutrition and nutrition interventions. A ranking of current nutrition conditions in the general population of the participating countries was included to gain a better understanding of the factors influencing hospital malnutrition (HMN), which will inform future multi-country research.

A questionnaire on the structure of the health systems was distributed among ten African countries. Subsections were included that inquired about the drivers or barriers to using principles of HTA to assess nutritional care. Analysis and ranking of malnutrition data were based on data from the Global Hunger Index report and two poverty indicators used by the World Bank.

The health system structure of each country was identified and described, whereas questions about HTA could not always be analyzed due to a lack of adequate in-depth knowledge and skills in most countries. Early experience from some countries demonstrates a conceivable route ahead for African countries in strengthening the capacity for and implementing HTA in accordance with distinct national healthcare contexts and social determinants of health.

Problems related to nutritional care represent one of the major priorities in the surveyed countries. A future HMN multi-country study will provide valuable insight into the potential of low-cost primary prevention orientations.

Treatment with atezolizumab plus standard chemotherapy can prolong the overall survival of patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the economic value of this treatment regimen is unknown. This study aimed to estimate the cost effectiveness of atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of metastatic non-squamous NSCLC from a healthcare system perspective in China.

A partitioned survival model consisting of three discrete health states was developed to estimate the cost and effectiveness of atezolizumab plus carboplatin or cisplatin plus pemetrexed (APP) versus carboplatin or cisplatin plus pemetrexed (PP) in the first-line treatment of metastatic non-squamous NSCLC over a 12-year lifetime horizon. Key clinical data were generated from the IMpower132 trial. Local direct medical and non-medical costs were used and health preference data were collected from patients with NSCLC in 13 tertiary hospitals across five provinces in China. Costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were measured. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the model.

Compared with the PP regimen, APP therapy yielded a gain of 0.21 QALYs at an increased cost of CNY145,602 (USD22,574), resulting in an ICER of CNY684,894 (USD106,185) per QALY gained. The ICER was significantly higher than three times the gross domestic product per capita for China in 2021 (USD37,663). One-way sensitivity analyses revealed that one of the most influential factors in this model was the cost of atezolizumab. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that there was 14.7% probability that atezolizumab plus chemotherapy was cost effective at a willingness-to-pay value of CNY242,928 (USD37,663) per QALY gained.

The APP regimen could prolong survival and improve health benefits over standard chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-squamous NSCLC, but it is unlikely to be a cost-effective treatment option in China.

Out of 185 orphan medicinal products (OMPs) registered in 2015–2021, a mere 110 (59 percent) were available to Czech patients, and only 54 (29 percent) were officially reimbursed. Moreover, this proportion has steadily decreased over time. After years of public debate induced by this unsatisfactory OMP patient access, the national viewpoint shifted toward creating a special pathway for the reimbursement of OMP. Thus, a rigorous pricing and reimbursement procedure with strict timelines and elaborated methodology has been recently adopted in Czechia.

The innovative legislation follows the recommendations for value assessment and funding processes for rare diseases and incorporates additional elements of value, such as the societal perspective. First, the application with clinical evidence, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact analyses is submitted to the governmental health technology assessment (HTA) agency by the Marketing Authorization Holder or a Health Insurance Fund. Moreover, professional associations and patients’ organizations are rightful participants in the proceeding, providing evidence and comments. Then, the HTA agency performs the assessment/appraisal of the evidence. It subsequently publishes the assessment report summarizing available information. The report is then forwarded to the Ministry of Health and its advisory body consisting of patients, clinical experts, health insurance funds, and the State. They critically evaluate the documents and issue a binding opinion following prespecified decision-making criteria. Based on this binding opinion, the decision is issued by the HTA agency. Thus, the role of the advisory body in this process is crucial.

We believe that this novel approach may offer satisfactory patient access to orphan drugs. Moreover, it serves as a real-world example of “value-based” decision making.

Sintilimab is an IgG4 anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody that has a high-affinity blocking interaction with PD-1 and its ligands. The updated ORIENT-11 study showed that sintilimab plus chemotherapy significantly prolonged progression-free and overall survival, compared with chemotherapy alone, in the first-line treatment of non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In China, it is uncertain whether sintilimab is a cost-effective alternative to standard immunotherapy.

A partitioned survival model with three health states (including progression-free survival, disease progression, and death) was constructed from the Chinese societal perspective using a three-week cycle with a lifetime horizon (16 years). Individual patient data were captured from the updated ORIENT-11 study, and high-risk and clinically severe adverse events were specifically added to the states. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were the primary outcomes. Costs, health productivity losses, and utilities were derived from questionnaires and supplemented by expert opinion and literature review. All costs were expressed in 2021 USD, and costs and QALYs were discounted at an annual rate of five percent. Sensitivity analyses and scenario analyses considering the healthcare system perspective were performed to explore model uncertainty.

Patients receiving sintilimab plus chemotherapy incurred a mean total cost of USD67,727 and gained 2.5 QALYs during the lifetime period, compared with USD40,530 and 1.5 QALYs for patients receiving standard chemotherapy. The corresponding ICER was USD27,665 per QALY in China. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times the gross domestic product per capita in China (USD37,663), sintilimab plus chemotherapy was the optimal treatment in 84 percent of replications. Deterministic sensitivity analysis showed that the most significant driving determinant was the discount rate of costs and QALYs. An ICER of USD21,020 per QALY was obtained from the Chinese healthcare system, validating the robustness of the cost-effectiveness analysis.

Compared with standard chemotherapy, sintilimab plus chemotherapy is a cost-effective treatment regimen for non-squamous NSCLC in China. Thus, sintilimab may benefit Chinese patients and should be promoted by decision makers.