Cost-Effective Use of White Blood Cell Growth Factors in the Veterans Administration

The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating (G-CSF) factors to avoid chemotherapy induced neutropenia is a major cost driver in clinical oncology. Short acting formulations, while less convenient, are 39% the cost of the longer formulation (Pegfilgrastim). We analyzed the use of G-CSF vs. Neulasta in the Veterans Administration (VA) health care system as currently practiced by clinical judgement and analyzed this economically. A survey of 23 sites...