Medicine Prices Research Articles

Overview of the pharmaceutical market of anticoagulants for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during marital state in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has not changed the epidemic situation with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Further, new cases of disease and death among the population are recorded every day. A large number of people in shelters and bomb shelters, in transport during the evacuation, increases the risk of infection.
 One of the main complications that occur in patients with COVID-19 is the formation of blood clots, which can lead to negative consequences and death of the patient, and therefore, at the present stage, the use of anticoagulants in the form of low molecular weight heparins plays a very important role in the hospital treatment of coronavirus disease.
 Heparin potentially has advantages over other anticoagulants for its not only anticoagulant but also anti-inflammatory properties (reducing lung inflammation and improving oxygenation) and also has potential antiviral properties.
 The purpose of our study was to analyze the availability and range of anticoagulants used to treat coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and post-COVID syndrome in Ukraine.
 The materials of our study were the data of the State Register of Medicines, the Compendium directory, the Register of wholesale selling prices for medicines and the prices for anticoagulants in Lviv pharmacies.
 We have analyzed the domestic market of low molecular weight heparins used for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and post-covid syndrome according to the international non-proprietary name, taking into account all forms of production, manufacturers and prices.
 It has been established that in the pharmaceutical market of Ukraine these medicines are represented by 9 trade names, which in turn are divided according to the amount of active substance in 1 ml of solution. Analyzing the manufacturing companies, it was found that more than half (52.6%) of the presented heparins were produced in Ukraine, and 47.4% of the trade names of drugs are imported.
 The state of supply and prices for low molecular weight heparins in pharmacies in Lviv was analyzed. It has been established that the pharmacies of the city are provided with a sufficient amount of these medicines, manufacturers and dosages are widely represented.
 Although the current number of active patients coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ukraine has decreased compared to 2021, there is still a large number of patients who are treated with anticoagulants after an illness as a preventive measure or rehabilitation. There fore, the provision of pharmacies with a wide range of anticoagulant drugs in sufficient quantity and variety of dosage plays an important role in providing pharmaceutical assistance to the population in full.

Evaluating the impact of price regulation (Drug Price Control Order 2013) on antibiotic sales in India: a quasi-experimental analysis, 2008–2018

BackgroundIn India, due to a lack of population-level financial risk protection mechanisms, the expenditure on healthcare is primarily out-of-pocket in nature. Through Drug Price Control Orders (DPCOs), the Indian Government attempts to keep medicine prices under check. The aim of this study was to measure the potential impact of DPCO 2013 on the utilization of antibiotics under price regulation in India using large nationally representative pharmaceutical sales data.MethodsWe used interrupted time series analysis, a quasi-experimental research design to estimate the impact of DPCO 2013 on the utilization of antibiotics in the private sector in India. Indian pharmaceutical sales data set, PharmaTrac from a market research company—All Indian Origin Chemists and Distributors Limited—was used for the study. The data are collected from a panel of around 18,000 stockists across 23 different regions of the country. The primary outcome measure is the percentage change (increase or decrease) in the sales volume of the antibiotics under DPCO 2013, measured in standard units (SUs).ResultsOur estimates suggest that post-intervention (after notification of DPCO 2013) there was an immediate reduction (level change) in the sales of antibiotics under DPCO 2013 by 3.7% (P > 0.05), followed by a sustained decline (trend change) of 0.3% (P > 0.05) as compared to the pre-intervention trend at the molecule level, but both changes were statistically insignificant. However, in terms of ‘average monthly market share,’ the DPCO 2013 notification resulted in a sharp reduction of 579% (P < 0.05) (level change) followed by a sustained increase of 9.5% (P > 0.05) (trend change) in the ‘market share of antibiotics under DPCO’ as compared to pre-intervention trend.ConclusionsThe impact of DPCO 2013 in terms of the overall increase in the utilization of antibiotics under price regulation was limited but there was a switch from non-price controlled antibiotics to price regulated antibiotics (notified under DPCO 2013). We argue that policies on price control need to be complemented with continuous monitoring of market behavior to have a measurable and long-term impact.

Design of value-added tax on medicines in 41 European countries

Abstract Background Recently, among others due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, European countries have been experiencing rising inflation. Value-added taxes (VAT) on essential goods have gained public attention, and abolishing VAT for these goods has been discussed as a measure to prevent poverty and inequities. The study aims to investigate the relevance of value-added tax on medicines in European countries. Methods We collated information on medicines-specific and standard VAT rates in 41 countries of the WHO European Region (all 27 European Union Member States, Albania, Armenia, Iceland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom). Data were reviewed from literature and were validated by national public authorities. Results In three countries (Albania, Kazakhstan and Malta), all medicines are exempt from VAT. 28 of the 38 countries with VAT on medicines impose a single VAT rate on all medicines, and in most of these countries (21 countries) the medicines-related VAT is lower than the standard VAT rate. Ten countries have differentiated VAT rates: In Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Sweden and the UK defined medicines (e.g. oral medicines, prescription-only medicines) are exempt from VAT, whereas for the other medicines the standard VAT rate applies; six further countries have a lower VAT rate for some medicines (e.g. heparins, blood products, contraceptives or reimbursed medicines in general) compared to the remaining medicines, whose VAT rate equal the standard rate or is lower. Conclusions Some European countries apply specific mechanisms (exemptions, reduced rates) regarding the VAT for defined or all medicines. This may act as a protective measure for patients in case of non-reimbursed medicines and help public payers to ensure financial sustainability to funded medicines. Further medicines-specific research is needed to understand the impact of inflation. Key messages • Value-added tax is a relevant component of medicine prices. • Lowering or abolishing the VAT on medicines can be an important policy espeically when patients pay out-of-pocket.

Cost of arthropathic diseases therapy with biologicals disease modifying drugs (bDMARs): a 5-year cost analysis at national level

This study analysed the changes in the reimbursed cost, prices and utilization of biological medicines for a 5-year time horizon, encompassing three major arthropathic diagnoses, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthropathies (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), from the point of view of the third-party payer in Bulgaria. National; population based; macroeconomic; top-down budget analysis was performed based on official data about the number of inhabitants, reimbursed diagnoses and medicines, reimbursed cost, treated patients, and prices of medicines. The utilization of medicines was calculated in DDD per 1000/inh/day. There was an increase of 41% in the number of patients treated with biological medicines. The reimbursement cost of biologicals increased by 21%; however, the per-patient reimbursement costs per diagnosis fell by 40% due to price decreases. Out of 21 reimbursed diagnoses, we saw a significant difference in prevalence (612 SD in 2016 to 1216 SD in 2020; p < 0.05). RA accounted for 2736 patients in 2016, increasing by 131% to 4662 patients in 2020; AS with 1933 patients in 2016 reached 3196 patients by 2020, and PsA with 1128 patients ranked third with a 75% increase. The cost of therapy of RA was the highest, accounting for appr. 15 mill Euro in 2016. The utilization decreased only for 2 INNs (infliximab and rituximab). All INNs experienced a nearly two-fold increase in their utilization: from 0.5244 to 0.9252 DDD/1000inh/day. The cost analysis shows an important place of biologicals for arthropathic diseases therapy; introduction of biosimilars leads to prices and cost decreases.

Medicine Affordability and Accessibility: A Case of Low and Middle-Income Group of Gujranwala District

In Pakistan, around two-thirds population is away from essential medicines because of the higher prices prevalent in the private sector and the low availability of medicines in the public sector (WHO, Health profile of Pakistan). High out-of-pocket payments on medicines increase the burden on poor households. Using the World Health Organization and Health Action International methods, a survey of 50 medications was undertaken in District Gujranwala of the Punjab, Pakistan, to assess drug availability and affordability status. The findings reveal that medicine availability is deficient in public sector hospitals, which are the primary source of free medicines for the public, while the availability is high in the private sector. Poor households have to face serious financial issues because of the higher prices. Therefore, the government needs to ensure the availability of medicines in the public sector through efficient procurement. To reduce the prices of medicines in the private sector, the government must promote low-price generic medicines and set a price cap for essential medicines.

Missing data on accessibility of children's medicines.

Child-appropriate medicines are essential for the safe and effective treatment of children, yet we have observed a large gap in the data required to adequately monitor access to these medicines. We have examined data on the availability and pricing of child-appropriate medicines across 50 surveys. Child-appropriate medicines for nine out of 12 priority diseases in children were infrequently surveyed or not at all. A similar data deficit on age-appropriate medicines is detectable in the broader scientific literature. We also note that existing instruments for collecting data on the availability or prices of medicines are limited in their ability to generate the required data for children. We have identified four priorities as key for improved monitoring of access to medicines for children: (i) dedicated child medicine surveys are needed on availability and prices of child-appropriate medicines; (ii) standardized survey instruments should include age-appropriate medicines and dosages; (iii) health facility service readiness survey tools should include the collection of data on the price of child-appropriate medicines in addition to the availability of medicines; and (iv) sustainable development goal indicator 3.b.3 should be modified to enable the monitoring of access to medicines for children. These deficiencies need to be addressed to ensure the monitoring of access to child medicines as part of the sustainable development goal agenda for 2030 and to implement appropriate interventions for improving access for this vulnerable population.

Availability, and price of anti-hypertensives and antidiabetics in public and private health facilities in Jos, Plateau State and environs North Central Nigeria

Background: One of the elements restricting access to medicines is high medicine prices. This can have a detrimental effect on patients' health as well as the healthcare system in terms of lack of patient&nbsp; compliance with treatment and subsequent hospitalisation for serious complications. The aim of the study is to evaluate the availability and price of antidiabetics and antihypertensives in private and public health centres in Jos and environs. Method: This study is based on a methodology developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and HealthAction International (HAI), 2004. It uses a short list of medicines to determine the prices of medicines in different health sectors. Data Analysis was done using the SPSS software. The median price ratio for each drug was calculated as well as the percentage availability. Results: Most antihypertensives and antidiabetics were sold above the international reference price, median price ratio was above 2.5 for all the drugs surveyed. The mean availability of antihypertensives was 85.43% for generic and 1.59% for branded. In public pharmacies, the mean availability of antihypertensives was 79.45% for generic antihypertensives, and 2.37% for branded antihypertensives. Conclusion: In both public and private pharmacies availability of Branded antihypertensives and antidiabetics were very low compared to their generic counterparts. The poor availability of essential medicines is likely to be multifactorial, further facilitated by cash-flow constraints, inadequate local manufacturing capacities and resulting import dependencies.

Drugs price and reimbursement regulation: comparators, endpoints and role of the cost-effectiveness

This document illustrates the results of a discussion of two multi-disciplinary expert panels on pricing and reimbursement of medicines. Experts work in different organizations. The discussion focused on comparator(s), endpoint(s), negotiation of prices of new medicines and/or indications to include in the List 648, as well as the role of cost-effectiveness in the price and reimbursement negotiation. The debate took place during the fourth edition of the Seminari di Mogliano, organized on the 30th of September/1st of October, 2021. The two panels agreed on a general need to enhance interaction among the different stakeholders, in the early assessment and negotiation phases, and to increase the transparency/reproducibility of the decisions taken. The experts have also emphasized the need (i) to improve clarity in the evaluation of additional therapeutic value and the place in therapy with respect to comparators and how comparators are identified; (ii) to create work groups to identify the most appropriate endpoint(s), for each therapeutic area and level of unmet needs; (iii) to provide for a systematic use of cost-effectiveness when an added therapeutic value is delivered by a new medicine. With regard to the 648 List, the experts advocated for an overall reorganization of the current rules governing the special uses of drugs.

Factors facilitating and hindering counselling about generic substitution and a reference price system in community pharmacies - a survey among Finnish dispensers

BackgroundPharmacies play the key role in implementing generic substitution (GS) and counselling customers about it. This study aimed to explore dispensers’ perceptions of the factors that facilitate or hinder counselling customers on GS and the reference price system (RPS) in community pharmacies. It also studied dispensers’ opinions about the benefits and problems of these systems and discusses them from the counselling point of view.MethodsA postal survey was conducted among Finnish community pharmacy dispensers in spring 2018. The research questions were studied through open-ended questions and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The questions were analyzed first with inductive content analysis by two researchers independently. The responses were encoded and categorized according to the analytical framework, which was inductively developed alongside the analysis. The categorized responses were further analyzed using frequencies and percentages.ResultsThe response rate was 50.8% (n = 498). Of the respondents, 75.9% reported factors that facilitated counselling about GS and RPS. The most commonly mentioned factors included customers’ characteristics (36.5%), the information systems used in the pharmacy (28.3%), and the features of interchangeable medicines (21.7%). Of the respondents, 89.0% reported factors that hindered counselling, of which customers’ characteristics (45.8%), the unavailability of medicines and other availability issues (32.5%), the features of interchangeable medicines (22.6%) and time pressure in the pharmacy (22.1%) were the most commonly reported. The benefits of the systems focused on cost savings for customers and society (74.4%). The most commonly reported problems concerned medicine availability (31.9%), changes in medicine prices and in reference price band (28.9%), as well as how GS is time-consuming and increases workload (24.2%).ConclusionsFinnish dispensers reported more hindering than facilitating factors in GS and RPS counselling. Customers’ characteristics were the most often mentioned in both cases. Customers’ knowledge could be increased by providing information and education. However, developing simpler regulations for GS and RPS, intelligent assisting software, and solutions for secured medicine availability would facilitate implementation of GS. Simplified price counselling would also guarantee the time needed and focus on instructions on the correct and safe use of medicines.

Corporate Moral Responsibility, Distributive Justice, the Common Good, and Catholic Social Teaching: The Case of Gilead Sciences and Remdesivir.

Applying the moral principles of Catholic social teaching’s (CST) on capitalism, distributive justice, private ownership, the common good, and the role of the state in the economy as the overall theoretical framework and utilizing secondary data, media reports, and scientific literature, this article explores the corporate moral responsibility of the top drug makers in the ownership and pricing of their essential medicines and COVID-19 vaccines. Specifically, it presents the case of the Gilead Sciences’ business strategies and overpricing of Remdesivir drug to illustrate how predatory capitalism undermines the moral responsibility of drug makers and CST’s moral principle on the common good in today’s pandemic. Distributive justice requires that the publicly funded and developed medicines and vaccines should be priced and distributed fairly to promote the common good and prevent the public from “paying twice” for these essential medicines. Given the public character of these medicines and the demands of social justice, the price of Remdesivir and other essential medicines of Gilead Sciences and Big Pharma for COVID-19 could have been lower than what was officially announced. Ultimately, these medicines could have been made global public health goods in accordance with CST’s doctrines on distributive justice, the common good, and the social dimension of private ownership.

Adulteration Detection of Edible Bird's Nests Using Rapid Spectroscopic Techniques Coupled with Multi-Class Discriminant Analysis.

Edible bird’s nests (EBNs) are vulnerable to adulteration due to their huge demand for traditional medicine and high market price. Presently, there are pressing needs to explore field-deployable rapid screening techniques to detect adulteration of EBNs. The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of using a handheld near-infrared (VIS/SW-NIR) spectroscopic device for the determination of EBN authenticity against the benchmark performance of a benchtop mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometer. Forty-nine authentic EBNs from the different states in Malaysia and 13 different adulterants (five types) were obtained and used to simulate the adulteration of EBNs at 1, 5 and 10% adulteration by mass (a total of 15 adulterated samples). The VIS/SW-NIR and MIR spectra collated were subsequently processed, modelled and classified using multi-class discriminant analysis. The VIS/SW-NIR results showed 100% correct classification for the collagen and nutrient agar classes in authenticity classification, while for the other classes, the lowest correct classification rate was 96.3%. For MIR analysis, only the karaya gum class had 100% correct classification whilst for the other four classes, the lowest rate of correct classification was at 94.4%. In conclusion, the combination of spectroscopic analysis with chemometrics can be a powerful screening tool to detect EBN adulteration.

Reforms to the patented medicine prices review board and the introduction of new drugs in Canada: An observational study

BackgroundInnovative Medicines Canada has said that companies are delaying the introduction of new drugs into Canada in anticipation of changes in how the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board determines prices for patented medicine. This study investigates whether this claim is accurate. MethodsDelays in seeking approval for and marketing of new drugs were examined using linear regression analysis and comparing the time between approvals by Health Canada and approvals of the same drugs by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Linear regression was also used to examine changes in the percent of drugs approved by the FDA and also approved by Health Canada and whether fewer drugs approved by Health Canada were being marketed. Approvals in Australia served as a control. ResultsThere was no change in the difference in approval times between Health Canada and the FDA (p = 0.7073). Time between approval of new drugs and when they were marketed increased (p = 0.0002). Health Canada approved a smaller percent of drugs approved by the FDA (p = 0.0019) but the same trend was found in Australia. Fewer drugs approved in Canada were marketed (p = 0.0288). ConclusionThere is mixed evidence about whether drug companies are delaying or simply not introducing new drugs into Canada.

A systematic review of the use of simulated client method in examining medicine price

Background: Simulated patient method has been frequently utilised to explore the healthcare provider’s behaviour, services information, and its quality of services. This study was aimed to systematically identify and review studies conducted using simulated client/patients that examine medicine selling prices in various healthcare settings.

Factors Affecting the Intensity of the Use of Medicinal Plants in Minasatene Resort, Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, South Sulawesi: A Case Study in Indonesia

Medicinal plants are believed to have the ability to both cure disease and maintain health and have been used by humans for a long time. The intensity of the use of medicinal plants can be influenced by community characteristics and supporting factors such as economic, social, and others. Data were collected using structured interview questionnaire from 210 respondents. The data recorded is: 1. How frequently did they use medicinal plants); 2. Information about respondents' characteristics consist of gender, age, marital status, educational level, occupation, and monthly income; 3. Preference of the Community for Type of Treatment and Reason for Preference of medicin; 4. Factors that affect the intensity of the use of medicinal plants consist of the effectiveness of medicinal plants,the price of modern medicine, side effects of modern medicine, distance of health facilities, participation in health insurance, a history of disease, frequency of illness, and average duration of illness.At the intensity of the use of medicinal plants in the community of Minasatene Resort, as much as 31.9% used medicinal plants at least once a year. The variables that had a significant relationship with the intensity of the use of medicinal plants were the effectiveness of medicinal plants against disease (p = 0.000), the presence of side effects of modern medicine (p = 0.035), a history of disease (p = 0.007), and the average duration of each time period sick (p = 0.028).

АНАЛИЗ УРОВНЯ И ДИНАМИКИ ЦЕН НА РОССИЙСКОМ РЫНКЕ ЛЕКАРСТВЕННЫХ ПРЕПАРАТОВ, ИСПОЛЬЗУЕМЫХ ДЛЯ ПРОФИЛАКТИКИ И ЛЕЧЕНИЯ ОРВИ И ГРИППА

Abstract. The article presents the results of a price analysis of the Russian market of drugs used for the prevention of SARS and influenza. Due to the increase in demand for antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs caused by an increase in the incidence and the spread of a new coronavirus infection COVID-19, the population and various subjects of the Russian pharmaceutical market require objective information about price changes and the reasons why they occurred. The study was based on sales audit data for drugs used to prevent SARS and influenza, provided by the research company DSM Group. To analyze the price level, the arithmetic average weighted price per pack was determined, and to study the price dynamics, chain and basic price indices were calculated. The article presents information about prices for medicines used for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, and the dynamics of their changes in the Russian pharmaceutical market as a whole and in individual subjects of the Russian Federation, as well as in the context of their division into Russian and foreign medicines included in the List of vital essential and essential medicines and non-essential medicines, different price ranges. It has been established that in the past three years, against the backdrop of increased demand for antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs, their price growth rates have significantly exceeded the price growth rates in the entire Russian pharmaceutical market. The largest contribution to the increase in prices in the studied market segment is made by domestic drugs, the growth rates of which significantly exceed the growth rates of prices for imported products. Relatively high growth rates of prices for drugs included in the Vital and Essential Drugs List have been revealed, which over the past three years have significantly exceeded the growth rates for drugs that are not subject to price regulation. It is proposed to strengthen control over pricing and price dynamics in the segment of antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs in order to prevent high rates of price growth, which is especially relevant due to the continued high demand for them.

Measuring Medicine Prices and Availability of Commonly used Essential Medicines using WHO/HAI Methodology in Hyderabad, India

Objectives: Access to health care is a basic right of population. Essential medicines are those which satisfy the priority of health care needs and intended to be available at all times. Hence prices and availability need to assess periodically. The objective of the study was to measure the variation in prices of selected medicines, to measure the availability of some selected medicines used for treating common diseases/ailments and to compare the prices and availability of medicines among the sectors. The present survey is conducted for 20 essential medicines in Hyderabad, Telangana. Methods: Medicines were selected based on the criteria of WHO/HAI methodology. Data was collected during October 2019 to March 2020 for originator brands and lowest priced generics in 60 medicine outlets. Prices were compared to international reference prices and expressed as median price ratio. Percent availability computed only on the day of data collection. Results: Median MPRs for originator brands and lowest priced generics were 2.20 and 1.53 in independent outlets, 2.20 and 1.61 in chain pharmacies respectively. Median MPR for generics in Jan Aushadhi Kendra was 0.38 i.e., all available medicines were priced less than international reference prices. Availability was 95.8%, 95.4% and 67.5% for generics and 12% and 13.3% for originator brands respectively. Conclusion: The survey revealed reasonable prices and high availability in private sectors but in JanAushadhi Kendra, prices are flattened with good availability. The maximum applicable Goods and Services Tax rate is 12% for medicines under price control and life-saving drugs resulted in 2.3% increase in tax rate ultimately causing burden to patients. Government should ensure certain policies about importance of generic drugs and their availability in Jan Aushadhi Kendra.

PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESS POLICY IN GEORGIA: CHALLENGES AND REFORM OPTIONS

The aim of the article was to analyze the legislative and legal norms of the Georgian pharmaceuticals market, their comparison with corresponding international standards, identifying the main challenges in the sector and proposing recommendations. For these purposes, primary desk research was conducted. Legislations, Laws and government orders for improving the supply of medicines to the population served as information bases for the study. During the work, reports from the Agency for the Regulation for Medical and Pharmaceutical Activities, Georgian Representatives of International organizations, the State Statistical Service, and industry experts were used. The study of the issue revealed that the Georgian pharmaceutical sector really needs to improve, revise existing regulations, harmonize with internationally recognized “good practices” (GMP, GDP, GLP, GCP, GVP) and improve financial access to medicines. We will highlight the following challenges: weak regulation of the competitive environment, weak regulation of the pharmaceutical market, quality of medical services provided – polypragmasia. Signs of non-transparent marketing relations and regulation of prices for medicines. The latter is particularly noteworthy because, as it turns out, in recent years “Georgia has been the leader in the European region in terms of total health expenditures on medicines which accounts for 35,5%” (5). “The population of Georgia spent 983 million GEL from own pockets to buy medicines” (5). This is a very large and heavy cost for the population with poor and chronic diseases. We believe that the problem of high prices for medicines is the most tangible, urgent and large scale for our population. Thus, we have made it a priority to work on health policy issues in terms of containment of financial expenditures, both in terms of reducing the total cost of medicines and in terms of direct payments made by the population. To consider all the above, it can be said that the research of the pharmaceutical business policy was selected due to the high public interest, the challenges of the field and the scarcity of study in this regard. In order to highlight the shortcomings and deficits in the regulation, to suggest ways to correct them. Key Words: pharmaceutical market, price regulation, recognition regimen, reference price, generic product, GMP, GDP, GLP, GCP, GVP.

Comparison of prices of commonly used drugs in AMRIT pharmacy, Jan Aushadhi Centre and Private chemist shop: An analytical study from a tertiary care centre in Haryana

Background: The price of medicine in India has always been a point of discussion in public domain. The price range of the same drug is very large with more than 100% difference between various brands available in different settings. Aims and Objectives: To assess the price of different drugs at Jan Aushasdhi (JA), AMRIT and Private Chemist and to compare the prices of these three outlets so that the issues. Material and Methods: This institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May 2019 to June 2019. A pretested proforma was prepared to compare the prices of 284 different medicines in Jan Aushadhi, AMRIT and private chemist shops. The collected data were entered in an Excel spreadsheet and presented in Proportions, percentages, and mean. Results: The price of 284 medicines were compared from JA (Median(IQR)- 15.18(18.75) INR) and Private chemist shop (Median(IQR)-88(111.5) INR) while 249 medicine from AMRIT (Median(IQR)-61.05(78.33) INR). Although the majority of the AMRIT drugs are cheaper than the chemist shop except for 31% of Antipsychotic drugs, 26.6% of antihypertensives, 25% of respiratory drugs, 25% of steroids, 21.9% of antibiotics. Conclusion: We concluded that JA is providing drugs cheaper than AMRIT and Private chemist . The prices of medicines offered at AMRIT are lower than market pricing but they are costlier when compared to JA prices.

La intervención administrativa sobre los precios de los medicamentos industriales en España y su relevancia en la dispensación de los mismos en las oficinas de farmacia

The right to health is made effective, among others, through the guarantee of access to medicines, since these contribute to prevent, cure, or alleviate diseases and to correct or repair the aftermath caused by them. Thus, in Spain, the right of all citizens to obtain medicines through the pharmaceutical benefits guaranteed by the National Health System, which is the health model implemented to guarantee health protection, is recognized. To guarantee its sustainability, the State has the capacity to regulate the economic conditions of pharmaceutical services, as well as to standardize the price of medicines. In this paper, the administrative intervention on all the economic and political issues surrounding the medicine in its relationship with health protection is analyzed, such as: the decision of public financing, that is, inclusion of medicine in the pharmaceutical provision of Social Security, and the fixing of the price of financing the medicine from state funds related to health or Social Security, which are carried out in each of the Member States, and in Spain correspond to the Ministry with competences in health.

Prices and Clinical Benefit of National Price-Negotiated Anticancer Medicines in China.

BackgroundHigh prices of anticancer medicines have increased the economic burden for both patients and health insurance systems. Since 2017, China has implemented national price negotiations for medicines, relying on evidence from health technology assessments. We aim to assess the relation between negotiated price and value of anticancer medicines listed in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL).MethodsFor all price-negotiated anticancer medicines and corresponding indications listed in the latest NRDL between 2017 and 2020, we collected their clinical outcomes data, including overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), in supporting trials. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to estimate the association between the daily cost and clinical benefit of each indication.ResultsIn total, 75 indications of 46 branded anticancer medicines were included for analysis. The median daily costs for the anticancer therapies that had gone through negotiation in 2017–2020 were US$87.6, US$71.8, US$58.9, and US$39.7, respectively. For indications supported by randomized trials, no correlation between daily costs and OS and PFS benefit of the price-negotiated cancer therapies was observed (N = 41, r = −0.05, and N = 49, r = 0.04, respectively). For cancer indications newly listed in NRDL in 2020, the association between their daily cost and OS benefit was −0.78 (N = 4, p = 0.221) and 0.01 (N = 8, p = 0.986) before and after the price negotiation.ConclusionThough the negotiation policy decreased prices of anticancer medicines in China, no statistically significant correlation was observed between their daily costs and clinical benefits. A more transparent and credible pricing approach needs to be established to promote value-based anticancer medicines and healthcare system efficiency.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40273-022-01161-7.