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.