Table 2.
Estimates of SMA births in UAE and KSA and the associated cost of postnatal treatment versus premarital screening
| United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual births13,21,22 | 33,625 | 511,000 |
| SMA livebirths per year* | 4 | 160 |
| Cost of gene therapy# | $8.4 million | $336 million |
| Annual marriage rate13,21,22 | 9875 | 141,000 |
| Cost of Premarital screening^ | $0.49 million | $7 million |
| Cost of PGT/IVF$ | $120,000 | $4.8 million |
| Cost reduction& | $7.79 million (14-fold) | $324.2 million (28-fold) |
*Calculated by multiplying incidence in Table 1 by annual births in each country, rounded to lowest integer.
#$2.1 million dollar.
^Calculated by multiplying cost of SMA testing ($50) per couple.
$Calculated by multiplying the number of couples expected to have an SMA birth and requiring PGT/IVF (pre-implementation genetic testing/in vitro fertilization) by cost of PGT/IVF (30,000 USD20).
&Calculated by subtracting cost of premarital screening and PGT/IVF from total cost of gene therapy. UAE United Arab Emirates, KSA Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.