Increased Availability of Human Growth Hormone: A Challenge for Health Economics

Human growth hormone (GH) has until recently been prepared commercially from pituitary glands collected at autopsy. Availability has been limited and cost high, so the indications for GH treatment have had to be “tight.” Owing to recent development in hybrid DNA technology, the availability of GH has increased dramatically. At the same time, the manufacturers have maintained constant prices, so that treatment costs continue to influence decision making about its use. This rapid transition has generated an interesting change of strategy, which is outlined in this review.