FierceBiotechFierceBioResearcherFierceVaccinesFiercePharma   FierceHealthcare

Free Newsletter

Get the pharma industry's daily monitor, with a special focus on pharmaceutical company news and the market development of FDA approved products. Sign up for free today!

About | Sample | Privacy
Related Topics >> Medicare

Cut co-pays, sell more drugs?

Tools

You'd have to be one of the Three Stooges to disagree with the following statement: If you pay less for drugs, you're more likely to keep taking them. Duh, right? But actually, the issue of out-of-pocket expenses and their effects on health outcomes has been hugely controversial since the 1970s. Now, a new pharma-funded study shows that lower copays equals higher adherence to drug regimens. Which is hardly a surprise, considering the (funding) source.

First, the study results. When one company lowered its copays for drugs used to combat chronic disease, patients with heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol kept taking the drugs they needed. There was a small, but statistically insignificant, increase in adherence among asthma patients.

The implications? That by spending some money up front on drugs for chronic diseases, companies might save in the long run on complications. And with healthcare costs such a huge issue now, proof of that sort of long-term benefit might actually boost prescription drug use. Because common sense isn't enough these days. You got to have data.

- here's the release
- read the article from Forbes
- see the study abstract
- here's the item from The Wall Street Journal Health Blog

Related Articles:
Medicare boosted 2006 drug spending. Report
Healthcare costs to families are still growing. Report

More stories about Medicare  

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.

More information about formatting options

What is 36 + 58?
To combat spam, please solve the math question above.