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Cost Variation Analysis among Different Brands of Same Drugs in the Cardiology Prescriptions and Its Effect on Patients Affordability
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| Author:
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KEERTHANA GC, VAISHNAVI K, SURUTHY R S, JAGADEESAN M
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| Abstract:
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Background: The cost of the medications plays a major role in patient compliance and positive therapeutic outcomes towards their affordability. Prescribing highly cost medicines may increase the chance of reducing the course of the treatment regimen. In the Indian Pharma market, the cost of medicines has a vast difference between different brands of the same drugs. Even though authorities like WHO, MCI made the guidelines to write the generic name of the drugs in the prescription, but still it not yet implemented effectively. Prescribing the lowest cost medicines to the patients is a vital part of the rational prescription.
Materials and Methods: 200 prescriptions from the department of cardiology were collected from the Outpatient pharmacy of the tertiary care teaching hospital. Cost variation of an individual drug in INR (per 10 tablets) with the same strength and dosage form being manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies were analyzed by using the “current index of medical specialities” January to April 2019 edition and “CIMS application software”.
Results: The cost of the drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies have vast differences. The tablet Prasugrel-5mg has a price variation of 2455.5%. (54INR -1380INR) followed by Azithromycin-500mg- 1049.82% (57.40INR -660INR), Cefuroxime-250mg 1018.64% (59INR-660 INR). The drugs like Ranitidine-300mg (14.7INR-16.28INR), Aspirin-75mg [2.6INR-3.25INR], Gabapentin-100mg [45INR-57INR], Olmesartan 10mg [65.20INR-73.85INR], Ivabradine-5mg [153INR-216.45INR] have cost variation between 1-50%. Most of the drugs which are commonly used are having above 100% of cost variation.
Conclusion: This study shows there is a huge cost variation among the different brands of the same drug. So the awareness is needed for rational prescription with the lowest cost to improve medication adherence by the patients. And also the government, pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, regulatory authorities, physician and the pharmacist has to work together in controlling the drug cost to improve the patient’s drug compliance.
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| Keyword:
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Cost Variation, Different Brands, Medication cost, Pharmacoeconomics.
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| EOI:
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| DOI:
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https://doi.org/10.31838/ijpr/2021.13.01.588
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| Download:
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