Health economics

Antibiotic resistance, driven by the overuse of antibiotics, is a huge threat to public health in Canada. At the same time, infections are a major cause of death and drive health care costs. Critically ill patients are particularly susceptible to infections caused by antibiotic-resistant organisms and have an even higher rate of death. Significant tension exists between avoiding inappropriate antibiotic use and preventing life-threatening infections.

One intervention used to prevent infections and reduce deaths is selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD), a preventive antibiotic regimen. Health care professionals have refrained from using SDD owing to fears that increased use of antibiotics will drive antibiotic resistance.

We are funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research to study whether SDD saves the lives of patients to whom it is delivered. Yet, answering this question alone will not tell us whether this treatment represents good value for money in intensive care units around the world. Modern health care systems simply cannot afford to implement new treatments without knowing the answer to these important questions. To determine whether SDD represents good value for money for the health care system, we will perform analyses that weigh the benefits and costs of SDD.