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Prescription-based cost analysis of medicines for cardiovascular risk factors at Indian Council of Medical
Preeta Kaur Chugh1, Pooja Gupta2, Himika Wasan2
1Department of Pharmacology, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Indian Journal of Pharmacology
|April 30, 2024
Summary
Generic essential medicines significantly reduce cardiovascular drug costs in India. Opting for National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) generics over branded non-NLEM drugs can save billions, lowering out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Public Health Policy
- Cardiovascular Disease Management
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity in India.
- Government initiatives aim to minimize healthcare expenditure while ensuring access.
- Understanding drug pricing variations is crucial for cost-effective CVD management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze price differences of cardiovascular medications.
- To compare costs based on inclusion in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).
- To evaluate price disparities between generic and branded cardiovascular drugs.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 4,736 outpatient prescriptions from 12 tertiary centers.
- Focus on oral antidiabetics, antihypertensives, and hypolipidemics.
- Standardized price calculation per medicine per year, presented in Indian Rupees (INR).
Main Results:
- NLEM oral antidiabetics cost INR 2849/year vs. non-NLEM at INR 5343/year.
- Generic antidiabetics cost INR 806/year vs. branded at INR 3809/year.
- Branded non-NLEM drugs were 5-22 times more expensive; potential statin savings of INR 346.8 billion.
Conclusions:
- Significant price variations exist between NLEM and non-NLEM, and generic vs. branded drugs.
- Urgent policy interventions are needed to reduce out-of-pocket medicine expenditure.
- Promoting NLEM-listed generic drugs can enhance the impact of healthcare policies.
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