Price of pain: population-based cohort burden of disease analysis of medication cost of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia

Abstract

There has been an increase in the incidence of HZ and PHN and in the average cost associated with the prescription treatment of their resultant neuropathic pain. The primary driver of the increased episodic cost is the increased use of gabapentin. These changes have resulted in a substantial increase in the economic burden associated with HZ and PHN.