Abstract
Objective: There are hundreds of brands in Indian markets for a single drug which is manufactured by various companies and thus leads to wide variation in prices for the same drug. Hence, we decide to evaluate the variation in price of different brands of the same drug available in Indian market.
 Methods: An analysis was done for comparing price variations among various drugs prescribed in diabetes mellitus. Indian Drug Review (IDR) (2019 Volume XXV Issue 4) and Current Index of Medical Specialties (CIMS) (July 2019–October 2019) were referred to know the maximum and minimum price in INR of drugs in all available strength and dosage forms being manufactured by different companies in India and percentage price variation was calculated.
 Results: Wide variation in the price of several brands of oral antidiabetics is found in Indian market. In single drug, highest price variation is found for glimepiride 1 mg tablet (1365.5%). In fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), highest price variation is found for glimepiride + metformin (2 mg + 500 mg) sustain release tablet (689.2%). Lowest price variation for FDCs was found for glimepiride + metformin (3 mg + 500 mg) tablet (4.8%). Furthermore, only few oral antidiabetic agents were included in the drug pricing control order 2013. Wide variation is seen in prices of brand and generic medicines.
 Conclusion: All the stakeholders should collectively make efforts to reduce price variation among the various brands so as to make them affordable and aim to improve the health status of the community.
Highlights
Developing countries spend 20–60% health budget on medicines
We decided to do such analytic study, which mainly focuses on price variations of different oral antidiabetic agents and their fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) available in Indian market. It was an analytical type of study which includes all oral antidiabetic agents drug formulations with same strength, while the drugs manufactured by a single company and FDCs with drugs other than oral antidiabetic agents were excluded from the study
Wide variation is found in the prices of several brands of same antidiabetic agent in Indian market
Summary
Developing countries spend 20–60% health budget on medicines. Up to 90% of the people in developing countries buy medicines through out-of-pocket payments and making medicines the largest family expenditure item after food. Due to high cost of medicines, they are unaffordable for major sections of the world population and are a major burden on government expenditure [1]. Pharmacoeconomics plays a major role in the practice of medicine in once life. In a developing country like India, price of drugs plays a major role to both physician and patient in selecting a drug for treatment. Apart from safety and efficacy, cost is an important factor for drug to be included in the formulary and national essential medicines by government of India and cost take into account for selection of preferred drug (P drug) by doctors
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