Cost-effectiveness of a school-based Tay-Sachs and cystic fibrosis genetic carrier screening program.

PURPOSE: To explore the cost-effectiveness of school-based multi-disease genetic carrier screening.

METHOD: Decision analysis of the cost-effectiveness of a school-based Tay-Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis genetic carrier screening program, relative to no screening. Data relating to ethnicity profile, test-accepting behavior, and screening program cost were sourced from an existing program in Sydney, Australia.

RESULTS

Compared to no screening, the incremental cost-effectiveness of the screening program is A dollar 5,834 per additional carrier detected. This cost-effectiveness ratio is most sensitive to changes in genetic test accuracy, and the cost of laboratory assays. The results imply a cost per affected birth avoided of approximately A dollar 530,000 (approximately US dollar 371,000).

CONCLUSIONS

This preconceptional genetic carrier screening program offers comparable cost-effectiveness to prenatal screening programs for cystic fibrosis.