Background
Cost-effectiveness analyses provide meaningful insights to policy decisions only when their results are compared against a benchmark threshold. The Cost-Effectiveness Threshold (CET) represents the maximum acceptable monetary value for achieving a unit of health gain β typically one Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY). Without a clear national CET, reimbursement and pricing decisions risk being inconsistent or economically unsound.
A global review of CETs shows that the average threshold expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita across countries is approximately 135%, ranging from 21% to 300%. The UAE framework adapts this evidence to local policy and payer realities.
UAE’s National CET Framework
Through a structured process combining evidence review and modified Delphi consensus, the UAE framework defines a transparent and reproducible CET approach for reimbursement assessment.
The UAE framework recommends a baseline of 0.75 Γ GDP per capita, then applies multipliers for relative health gain (IRQG), proportional shortfall severity, and rarity. The same CET is applied across public and private sectors to support equitable access.
How the Calculator Works
This tool operationalises the UAE CET framework in one equation. It computes IRQG from undiscounted QALYs, calculates proportional shortfall from QALY expectations with and without disease, applies an orphan-drug switch, and compares ICER against the CET.
Reference
Aldallal S, Farghaly M, Fahmy S, et al. Thresholds for the value judgement of health technologies in the United Arab Emirates: a consensus approach through voting sessions. BMJ Open 2024;14:e090344. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090344.
UAE CET Equation
The UAE framework sets a baseline threshold at 0.75 Γ GDP per capita and applies three criteria multipliers in a continuous form.
CET(AED/QALY) = 0.75 Γ GDP(AED per capita) Γ (PS + 1) Γ (IRQG + 1) Γ (orphan Γ 2 + 1)
Definitions
| Parameter | Definition |
|---|---|
| IRQG | Incremental Relative QALY Gain = (QALYnew - QALYcomparator) / QALYnew |
| PS | Proportional shortfall = (QALY without disease - QALY with disease) / QALY without disease |
| orphan | Orphan drug switch (0 = no, 1 = yes) |
Country Parameters β Live Data
GDP Source: IMF World Economic Outlook — GDP per Capita (NGDPDPC) (fallback: World Bank) · Exchange Rate: World Bank — PA.NUS.FCRF
Economic Parameters
Override values manually
Source: World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
Source: World Bank PA.NUS.FCRF