Abstract

COST – EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS AVAILABLE IN INDIAN MARKET

*Dr. Pradnya Deolekar, Dr. Pramila Yadav and Dr. Sandesh Deolekar

Abstract

Objective: Rising cost of medical therapy is a major concern for patients, and there is high variability in the prices of numerous branded medicines available in India especially in life style diseases like hypertension. Thus, a cost analysis study was carried out to assess the brand price variations in the oral antihypertensive drugs available either singly or in combination and number of manufacturing companies for each, also to evaluate the difference in cost of different brands of same active drug by calculating percentage variation of cost. Materials and Methods: The cost of different brands of commonly used antihypertensive drugs was sorted out by referring latest “Current Index of Medical Specialties” October – December 2016, “Indian Drug Review” (IDR) 2016, Monthly Index of Medical Specialties December 2016.The cost of 10 dosage forms (Tablets / capsules) in INR of each brand, Cost Ratio and Percentage Cost Variation were calculated. Results: The percentage variation in the cost was above 100% with most of the commonly used antihypertensive drugs like Amlodipine (5 mg): 864.70%, Atenolol (25mg): 412.33%, Telmisartan (40 mg) 277.38% and Enalapril (10 mg) 520.08%. Among the combination therapy, Amlodipine + Atenolol (5 + 50 mg): 490.37%, Amlodipine + Losartan (5 + 50 mg): 440%, Atenolol + Hydrochlorothiazide (50 + 12.5 mg) 504.82% Telmisartan + Hydrochlorothiazide (80 + 12.5 mg): 401.67%, Losartan + Hydrochlorothiazide (50 + 12.5 mg): 200.16% variation. Conclusion: Despite the implementation of price control, brand price variations still exist widely for commonly used drugs. Re-assessment of pricing policy and implementation of quality norms is needed.

Keywords: Pharmacoeconomics, Price control, Brands, Price variation.