Impact of biologic therapy on the cumulative and running societal financial burden of severe asthma – a 19-year cost analysis

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Severe asthma incurs a financial burden for both patients and society. Yet, little is known about the long-term financial burden, and the impact of biologic therapy. <bold>Methods:</bold> All Danish adults initiating biologic therapy for severe asthma between 2016-20 were included and had their excess healthcare costs, forgone income and welfare transfers compared to matched controls. Patients were followed prior to and after biologic initiation between 2002-22. <bold>Results:</bold> In total, 562 patients (median age 56, 51% female) were included and consistently had excess costs compared to comparators (Figure 1). Excess healthcare costs during the year prior to biologic therapy was € 10,590 and foregone income was € 5,389 per patient. Excess welfare transfers for patients aged 18-64 were € 3,335. Prior to biologic therapy, pooling of patients' mean crude annual costs resulted in accumulation of €59,364 and €44,155 in excess healthcare costs and foregone income, respectively. Patients aged 18-64 had accumulated €32,021 in excess welfare transfers. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> In our study, patients with severe asthma initiating biologic therapy accumulate a substantial financial burden for both healthcare and welfare institutions, as well as significant loss of personal income over time. Biologic therapy significantly increased healthcare costs overall but did not seem to impact welfare transfers or foregone income. <fig><object-id>erj;66/suppl_69/PA2609/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig>