Abstract
Baxter Healthcare is providing over £200,000 of funding to two UK studies with the goal of establishing an improved evidence base for home dialysis treatment.
“We are delighted that we have been able to support further research into home therapies such as PD and home haemodialysis. Home based treatments offer many benefits to patients as they negate the need to travel to and from hospital for regular thrice weekly treatment.”
Background
For most people the need to undergo regular dialysis several times a week would be a significant inconvenience requiring travel and time. The option of delivering the treatment at home was first evaluated in the late 1960s and in early 1970s America the home treatment option accounted for 40% of a population of over 10,000 patients requiring the treatment. In the United States a variety of factors, not least lack of reimbursement contributed to a decline in the home treatment option until by 2004 the number had halved. Now however there is a resurgence of interest in home dialysis as it becomes clear that healthcare economics, not just patient pressure may be on its side. These studies are intended to increase our understanding of the subject.
Study 1: Imperial College: Outcome and Cost
Nephrologist Professor Edwina Brown from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has been awarded a grant to fund a 3 year study of Assisted Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (aAPD) patients compared to those on hospital haemodialysis within a frail, older patient population. Professor Brown said, “We want to find out if frail patients on aAPD have improved outcomes compared to patients on hospital dialysis. We will also be comparing the non-dialysis therapy costs of aAPD and haemodialysis for older patients including transport, outpatient and inpatient hospital visits.”
Study 2: Central Manchester: Patient Pathways and Adoption Barriers
Dr Sandip Mitra from the Central Manchester Foundation NHS Trust & the University of Manchester will be investigating patient pathways and adoption barriers to home haemodialysis. Dr Mitra said, “Despite national guidance, physician preferences and increasing evidence of superior benefits of extended dialysis regimes at home, the uptake and prevalence of this modality remains low in UK. This project will be a two year multicentre study to understand and analyse the drivers to introducing and sustaining this modality of care which is fundamental to realizing the full benefits of home haemodialysis for patients and the NHS.”
Baxter’s involvement
Baxter Healthcare manufactures equipment and consumables for both home and hospital based dialysis as well as software for predicting and controlling dialysis treatments in the home. As such it is logical that the company would have an interest in being in the front line of the debate and gain value from supporting these studies. The Baxter Clinical Evidence Council facilitates and evaluates research focused on expanding the clinical evidence supporting peritoneal dialysis therapy and home hemodialysis therapy.
The company’s Medical Director Joubert Gama said, “We are delighted that we have been able to support further research into home therapies such as PD and home haemodialysis. Home based treatments offer many benefits to patients as they negate the need to travel to and from hospital for regular thrice weekly treatment. Home therapies also develop patient autonomy.”
Source: Baxter
published: December 12, 2011 in: Baxter, Clinical Studies/Trials, Economics