Cost variation analysis of oral anti-dyslipidaemic drugs available in Indian pharmaceutical market

Abstract

Background: Dyslipidaemia is one of major risk factor contributing to cardiovascular disease, which further causes mortality and morbidity, so requires a long course of treatment. Physicians should be aware of the cost of drugs.

Methods: Cost of the oral anti-dyslipidaemic drug, either as single drug or in combination manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies in the same strength and dosage form was obtained from current index of medical specialities (CIMS) April-July 2019. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage cost variation per 10 tablets was calculated.

Results: In this study, existing findings showed a wide cost variation among different brands of the same oral anti-dyslipidaemic drug. Percentage cost variation for individual oral anti-dyslipidaemic drug was found to be highest with atorvastatin (80 mg film coated (FC) tablet): 358.84% followed by atorvastatin (5 mg FC tablet): 247%, fenofibrate  (200 mg FC tablet): 134.22%, lovastatin (10 mg FC tablet): 108.56%, rosuvastatin (10 mg FC tablet): 78.60%,   while lowest cost variation is seen with rosuvastatin 40 mg FC Tb: 1.598%. Among fixed dose combination therapy percentage cost variation was found to be highest with atorvastatin and fenofibrate (10 mg and 160 mg, FC tablet): 256%, followed by atorvastatin and ezetimibe (10 mg and 10 mg, tablet): 132.39%, while minimum cost variation was for rosuvastatin and fenofibrate (10 mg and 67 mg, tablet): 22.6%.

Conclusions: These study findings showed that there is a wide variation in the cost of the same oral anti-dyslipidaemic drug. So, it is very necessary for regulatory authorities to regulate the wide variation in the cost, as well as physicians, should be sensitized to be aware of their cost variations to reduce the economic burden of drug-therapy to the patients.