Paper Title
Pharmaco – Economic Study Of Antidiabetic Drugs

Abstract
Pharmaco-economics plays an important role in practice of medicine. High cost of medicines has economic implications for the patients and patient compliance may be significantly dependent on the cost of medicines prescribed; in addition to the confusing brand names of various medicines in the Indian market.1. In the developing countries the cost of drugs is a major concern to both physician and patient; yetthere are few data on prescribing patterns and expenditure2. Cost of drugs is an important factorinfluencing compliance with treatment3 .In India, in 1979, 80-85% of the drugs in the market were under price control. The number has slowly decreased and by 2002 only 15-20% drugs were under price control4. There exists a wide range of variation in the prices of drugs marketed in India and other countries of the world. Indian Pharmaceutical Industry has many branded formulation and generic brands of the same drug with large difference in selling price.The cost has affected the consumers, prescribers and health care providers. In developing countries, studies and data on medicine prices are scanty. Measuring and understandingthe reasons for the price of medicines is the first stage in developing drug pricing policies that would ensure the affordability of medicines.Diabetes is fast gaining the status of a potential epidemic in India. Oral antidiabetic agents affect the morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus and are used on a long term basis. In the context of pharmaceutical and other health products, differential pricing (also called tiered pricing) is the adaptation of product prices to the purchasing power of consumers in different geographical or socioeconomic segments. Differential pricing could potentially be a very effective strategy to improve access to essential medicines in low and middle-income countries where most patients pay for medicines out-of pocket and therefore cannot afford the prices compared to high income markets5.