Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2025

The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test MSPT: An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool
Published on: June 30, 2014
High socioeconomic impact on prescription behavior despite unrestricted access to disease-modifying therapies in
S Samadzadeh1,2,3,4, J Havla5,6, K Lepka1
1Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital of Düsseldorf and Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Background:
Economic and health care restraints strongly impact on drug prescription for chronic diseases. We aimed to identify potential factors for prescription behavior in chronic disease. Multiple sclerosis was chosen as a model disease due to its chronic character, incidence, and high socioeconomic impact.
Methods:
Germany was used as a model country as the health-care system is devoid of economic and drug availability restraints. German statutory health insurance data were analyzed retrospectively. The impact of number of university hospitals and neurologists as well as the gross domestic product (GDP) as potential factors on prescriptions of platform and high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) was analyzed.
Results:
Prescription of platform DMTs increased over time in almost all federal states with varying degree of increase. Univariate regression analysis showed that the prescription volume of platform DMTs positively correlated with the number of university hospitals and neurologists, as well as the GDP per federal state. Stepwise forward regression analysis including all potential factors indicated a statistically significant model for platform DMT (R2 = 0.55; 95%-CI [0.28, 0.82]; p=0.001) revealing GDP as the main contributor. This was confirmed in the independent analysis.
Conclusion:
This study illustrates that even without overt drug prescription inequity, access to medication is not evenly distributed and depends on economic strength and regional medical care density.
More Related Videos
10:46A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
05:44Author Spotlight: Creating a Versatile Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Model Relevant for Both Male and Female Mice
Published on: October 13, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics: Dependence of Elimination Half-Life and Dose Clearance
A study on guinea pigs examined the...
Factors Influencing Drug Absorption: Disease States and Pharmacology
Substances such as alcohol and specific drugs, including antineoplastics, can also negatively impact drug absorption. For instance,...
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview