Review of Economic Evidence for the Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Imatinib Vs. Interferon-alpha

Shakhnoz Ziyatovna Umarovna; Gulhayo Avazbekovna Rakhmonova; Erkin D Rakhmonov; Nargiza Mukhamed Umarovna Sultanbaeva

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.58360

Review of Economic Evidence for the Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Imatinib Vs. Interferon-alpha

Author(s)	Prof. Shakhnoz Ziyatovna Umarovna, Ms. Gulhayo Avazbekovna Rakhmonova, Mr. Erkin D Rakhmonov, Ms. Nargiza Mukhamed Umarovna Sultanbaeva
Country	Uzbekistan
Abstract	Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) remains a significant oncohematological disease requiring effective long-term treatment strategies. Imatinib, a first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been the global standard of care for over two decades, while interferon-alpha previously served as the main therapeutic option. This review aimed to evaluate the economic evidence comparing imatinib and interferon-alpha in the treatment of CML. A systematic search of the PubMed database (2000–August 2024) and additional sources identified 654 publications, of which 148 remained after duplicates were removed. Following screening and full-text evaluation, only one study (Dalziel et al., 2004) fully met the quality criteria established by the NICE Reference Case Requirements. The study, based on a Markov model and conducted in the UK National Health Service (NHS), included 1,106 patients (553 on imatinib, 553 on interferon-alpha ± low-dose cytarabine). The results demonstrated that imatinib therapy provided superior clinical outcomes, including higher cytogenetic response rates, improved progression-free survival, and fewer adverse events. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were substantially higher with imatinib (680–941) compared with interferon-alpha (466). Although direct medical costs were greater for imatinib (£11.7–14.9 million vs. £5.9 million), its incremental cost-effectiveness was favorable, justifying its use as a first-line treatment. In conclusion, despite higher direct costs, imatinib represents a more effective and cost-efficient therapeutic alternative to interferon-alpha. However, the transferability of international economic evaluations to countries such as Uzbekistan is limited by differences in healthcare financing, drug pricing, and access to innovative therapies. Local pharmacoeconomic studies are necessary to adapt international findings to national conditions and ensure sustainable access to modern CML treatments.
Keywords	chronic myeloid leukemia, imatinib, interferon-alpha, cost-effectiveness, pharmacoeconomics, QALY, Uzbekistan
Field	Medical / Pharmacy
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2025
Published On	2025-10-18
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.58360

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Review of Economic Evidence for the Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Imatinib Vs. Interferon-alpha

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