Estimation of Intangible Costs for Factors Associated with Oral Antiviral Drugs for COVID-19 Treatment: A Conjoint Analysis in Japan

by Selleckchem | Sep 13 2023

Introduction: During the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, preferences for factors associated with vaccines have been evaluated. Three oral antiviral drugs have been approved in Japan for patients with mild-to-moderate I COVID-19 symptoms. Although preferences for the drugs may also depend on various factors, these have not been fully evaluated.

Methods: A conjoint analysis was performed based on an online survey in August 2022 to estimate the intangible costs of factors associated with oral antiviral drugs for COVID-19. Respondents were individuals aged 20-69 across Japan. The attributes included the company (Japanese/foreign) that developed the drug, formulation and size of the drug, frequency of administration per day, number of tablets/capsules per dose, number of days until no longer infectious to others, and out-of-pocket expenses. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate the utility of each level for each attribute. The intangible costs were calculated by comparing the utility to the out-of-pocket attribute.

Results: Responses were collected from 11,303 participants. The difference between levels was the largest for companies that developed a drug; the intangible costs were JPY 5390 higher for the foreign company than for the Japanese company. The next largest difference was in the number of days until one is no longer infectious. For the same formulation, the intangible cost was lower for small sizes than large sizes. For similar-sized tablets and capsules, the intangible cost was lower for tablets than capsules. These tendencies were similar regardless of COVID-19 infection history and the presence of risk factors for severe COVID-19 in the respondents.

Conclusion: Intangible costs for factors associated with oral antiviral drugs among the Japanese population were estimated. The results may change as the number of people with a history of COVID-19 infection increases and significant progress is made regarding treatments.

Comments:

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the preferences and intangible costs associated with oral antiviral drugs for COVID-19 in the Japanese population. A conjoint analysis was conducted using an online survey in August 2022, with 11,303 participants aged 20-69 across Japan. The attributes examined were the company (Japanese/foreign) that developed the drug, formulation and size of the drug, frequency of administration per day, number of tablets/capsules per dose, number of days until no longer infectious to others, and out-of-pocket expenses. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the utility of each attribute level, and intangible costs were calculated by comparing the utility to the out-of-pocket attribute.

The results revealed that the most significant factor affecting preferences and intangible costs was the company that developed the drug. Participants assigned a higher intangible cost of JPY 5390 for drugs developed by foreign companies compared to Japanese companies. The number of days until one is no longer infectious was the second most influential factor. The intangible cost was lower for smaller drug sizes compared to larger sizes, and for tablets compared to capsules of similar size. Interestingly, these preferences remained consistent regardless of participants' history of COVID-19 infection or the presence of risk factors for severe COVID-19.

It should be noted that the findings are based on data collected in August 2022 and may evolve as more people develop a history of COVID-19 infection and advancements in treatments occur. Understanding the intangible costs associated with oral antiviral drugs can provide valuable insights for policymakers and pharmaceutical companies to optimize drug development and meet the preferences of the Japanese population.