Developing an extended framework for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of incretin-based anti-obesity medications (AOMs) (360G-Wellcome-337602_Z_25_Z)

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has increased significantly over the last 30-years and represents a pressing public health challenge. Several incretin- based anti-obesity medications (AOMs) such as GLP-1 receptor agonists liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide have been approved by NICE in recent years. Such medications have been evaluated for cost-effectiveness via NICE processes, and consistent with the NICE methods guide have taken a direct health system perspective. However, a broader economic evaluation may be warranted to take into account the impact of AOMs on wider policy domains and on health equity and distributional concerns. This research project aims to develop an extended framework for the evaluation of AOMs to include such wider outcomes and estimate the impact on the cost-effectiveness of AOMs where an extended (rather than traditional) cost-effectiveness framework is used. The research will pay particular attention to the inclusion of health equity impacts associated with AOM medications. The framework will be developed through 1) the co-production of an obesity system map to account for the impact of AOMs; 2) the elicitation of key parameters to include health equity concerns within the framework; and 3) the adaptation of the Sheffield- developed SMPH health economic obesity model to implement the developed framework.