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Updated: Aug 2, 2026
08:54
Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds
Published on: February 14, 2018
Selected topical antifungal use in managed care
1SelectCare, Inc., Troy, MI, USA.
Medical Interface
|September 4, 1996
Summary
This study analyzed topical antifungal drug costs in a health maintenance organization (HMO). Higher-cost antifungals did not demonstrate improved refill frequency or reduced total treatment costs compared to claims.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Dermatology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Clinical trial data for new products may not reflect real-world managed care settings.
- Managed care plans prioritize cost-efficiency in therapeutic selections.
- Higher-cost products present formulary justification challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of topical antifungal therapies within a managed care setting.
- To analyze refill patterns and total treatment costs for various topical antifungal agents.
- To compare manufacturer claims of potency and treatment duration against actual pharmacy claims data.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pharmacy claims data.
- Focus on topical antifungal treatments within a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan.
- Calculation of refill frequency and total drug treatment cost per agent.
Main Results:
- Manufacturer claims of higher potency for certain topical antifungals were not supported by the data.
- No significant difference in refill frequency was observed across different topical antifungal agents.
- Total topical drug treatment costs were not reduced by higher-cost agents despite claims of shorter treatment durations.
Conclusions:
- The study questions the real-world cost-effectiveness of higher-priced topical antifungals.
- Actual usage patterns in managed care may not align with manufacturer claims of superior performance.
- Further research is needed to validate the economic benefits of new topical antifungal agents in clinical practice.
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