Clinical trials, economic evaluation and simulation – supporting the economic evaluation of a clinical trial by simulation

The aim of the economic evaluation of a clinical trial is to assess the impact of new forms of treatment across different patient groups. A major problem of economic evaluation is the volume of data that can be potentially collected from a clinical trial. Limitations on resources for this task mean that health economists must make informed decisions as to what data to collect so that they can successfully perform their evaluation. This article discusses how simulation can support this kind of decision making by helping health economists develop a deeper understanding of the relationships involved in a clinical trial.