Applied health economics and health policy
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Oct 2013
Private expenditures on brand name prescription drugs after generic entry.
Generic drugs offer a less expensive and therapeutically equivalent alternative to brand name drugs. Nevertheless, many Canadian private drug plans continue to pay for brand name drugs even after generics become available. ⋯ Brand name drugs continue to be reimbursed by Canadian private drug plans at higher prices even after less expensive generic alternatives are available. By mandating generic substitution, substantial cost savings on benefit plans could be achieved.
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Oct 2013
Evolutions in both co-payment and generic market share for common medication in the Belgian reference pricing system.
In Belgium, a co-insurance system is applied in which patients pay a portion of the cost for medicines, called co-payment. Co-payment is intended to make pharmaceutical consumers more responsible, increase solidarity, and avoid or reduce moral hazards. ⋯ As maximum co-payment levels decreased over time, they overruled the reference pricing system in Belgium. The changes in co-payment share over time also significantly affected sales volume, but whether physicians or patients are the decisive actors on the demand side of pharmaceutical consumption remains unclear.
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Appl Health Econ Health Policy · Oct 2013
Cost effectiveness of romiplostim for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia in Ireland.
Romiplostim, a thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TPOra), is a second-line medical treatment option for adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Clinical trials have shown that romiplostim increases platelet counts, while reducing the risk of bleeding and, in turn, the need for costly rescue medications. ⋯ Use of romiplostim in the ITP treatment pathway, compared with eltrombopag or SoC, is likely to be cost effective in Ireland. Romiplostim improves clinical outcomes by increasing platelet counts, reducing bleeding events and the use of IVIg and steroids, resulting in both cost savings and additional QALYs when compared with current treatment practices.