Vol. 1 No. 2 (2021)
Health Technology Reviews

Rapid Testing for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Rifampicin Resistance: A Review of Cost-Effectiveness

Published February 18, 2021

Key Messages

  • The evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of the Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and resistance to rifampicin (Xpert MTB/RIF) test compared with smear microscopy in diagnosing tuberculosis is summarized in this report.
  • Results from the included 6 studies showed that Xpert MTB/RIF testing is a cost-effective option compared with sputum smear microscopy. However, the generalizability of the results to the Canadian setting are unclear because of the clinical data source populations, willingness-to-pay thresholds, and assumptions used in the analyses.
  • There is a lack of evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of Xpert MTB/RIF testing compared with mycobacterial cultures or culture-based susceptibility testing.