Clinical AIDS Research that Evaluates Cost-Effectiveness in the Developing World

A researcher in a South American country wants to evaluate the economic impact of antiretroviral therapy from the perspective of his developing society. He proposes a large randomized clinical trial (RCT) that will compare dideoxycytidine (ddC) with placebo, not only to assess the relative effectiveness of this antiretroviral agent in prolonging survival and improving the quality of life of patients with HIV infection, but also to determine if an investment by his government in antiretroviral therapy might ultimately prove cost saving to society.