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Doctors commitment and long-term effectiveness for cost containment policies: lesson learned from biosimilar drugs
Enrica Menditto1, Valentina Orlando1, Silvia Coretti2
1CIRFF, Center of Pharmacoeconomics, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
Clinicoeconomics and Outcomes Research : CEOR
|December 5, 2015
Summary
Cost containment policies in Italy increased biosimilar drug use initially, but failed to create lasting change. A bottom-up approach involving healthcare professionals is recommended for long-term success in reducing healthcare expenditure.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Pharmaceutical Policy
- Drug Utilization
Background:
- Physicians act as agents in healthcare, influencing resource allocation and treatment costs.
- Cost containment policies are crucial for managing scarce healthcare resources.
- Biosimilar drugs offer a cost-saving strategy to reduce healthcare expenditure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of cost containment policies on biosimilar drug prescribing in Italy.
- To analyze the market penetration of biosimilars in response to policy interventions.
- To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of top-down cost containment measures.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system for drug identification.
- Extracted biosimilar and originator drug data from the IMS Health regional database.
- Analyzed drug consumption (units) and expenditure (€) quarterly and annually.
Main Results:
- Biosimilar prescribing significantly increased in Campania, Italy, between 2009-2013, exceeding originator market share by 2012.
- Originator product use decreased until early 2011, then plateaued and subsequently increased.
- Cost containment policies did not foster a sustainable cultural shift towards biosimilar adoption.
Conclusions:
- Top-down cost containment policies alone are insufficient for long-term effectiveness in healthcare.
- A shift towards a bottom-up approach, emphasizing professional consensus, is necessary for successful policy implementation.
- Sustainable reduction in healthcare expenditure requires addressing the cultural and professional aspects of drug prescribing.
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