ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the content and state of guidelines. It examines areas where the guidelines fail to address important areas of pharmacoeconomic methodology. The chapter discusses how best to ensure good practice in pharmacoeconomic studies in the context of guideline development and adaptation. Methodological issues in the design and conduct of pharmacoeconomic studies do not receive adequate consideration in existing guidelines. The chapter reviews the impact that the use of patient self-reported data has on the validity of estimates in the pharmacoeconomic studies. This review noted that compared to estimates of resource use that could be verified in a patient's chart, the reliance on patients to provide estimates of resource use could be problematic. P. Langley has suggested that the traditional approach covered in existing guidelines which is focused on generating incremental cost/outcomes ratios is of little relevance to decision-makers.
