Managing Pharmaceutical Costs in Health Systems
Author Information
Author(s): Ntais Christos, Talias Michael A., Fanourgiakis John, Kontodimopoulos Nikolaos
Primary Institution: Open University of Cyprus
Hypothesis
This study reviews specific worldwide policies aimed at reducing drug-related spending and/or increasing the efficiency of pharmaceutical use.
Conclusion
Policymakers frequently enact numerous laws and regulations to control pharmaceutical expenditure, even if there is limited evidence that they are cost-effective.
Supporting Evidence
- Governments worldwide have implemented a great variety of policy measures to manage pharmaceutical expenditure while ensuring fair access to essential medicines.
- Cost-sharing schemes, value-based pricing, reimbursement, reference pricing, payback mechanisms and the substitution of original drugs with generics and biosimilars are pivotal in these efforts.
- Overall, it appears that any gains may be outweighed by the unfavorable effects of policies impacting patients.
- Further research is needed to develop context-specific guidance that balances cost containment, equity and sustainability.
Takeaway
This study looks at how different countries try to save money on medicines while making sure people can still get the drugs they need. Sometimes, these money-saving plans can make it harder for people to get their medicines.
Methodology
The method used was the narrative literature review of studies which assessed the effect of pharmaceutical cost containment policies.
Potential Biases
The inclusion of studies was guided by relevance to the objectives, and all four authors critically reviewed interpretations to ensure balanced perspectives.
Limitations
As a narrative review, this study is inherently susceptible to selection bias.
Participant Demographics
The study involved four cohorts of regular users of medications and a random sample of the Medicaid population.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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