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Background: Pricing of drugs plays a very important role in a developing country like India especially in the management of chronic conditions. There exists a huge price variation among the different brands of the same drug. Hence this study was planned to find out variation in prices of antipsychotic drugs marketed in India. The objective was to compare the percentage price variation and cost ratio of various formulations of oral and parenteral antipsychotic drugs available in the Indian market.Methods: Cost of oral and parenteral antipsychotic drugs available in the Indian market manufactured by different companies, in the same strength, number and dosage form was obtained from http://www.medguideindia.com. The percentage price variation and cost ratio of each formulation was calculated.Results: Among the typical group of antipsychotic drugs, Tab Haloperidol 0.25mg shows maximum price variation of 650% and a cost ratio of 7.5 followed by Tab Trifluoperazine 1mg having a price variation of 555.5% and a cost ratio of 6.55. Among the atypical group of drugs, tab Risperidone 3mg shows a price variation of 2282.35% with a cost ratio of 23.82 followed by Tab Risperidone 4mg with a price variation of 1976.92 % and a cost ratio of 20.76.Conclusions: There is a wide variation between the minimum and maximum cost among the different brands of the same drug in the same formulations. Combined efforts are needed from the regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical companies, physicians and pharmacist towards controlling the prices and attaining maximum economic benefits for the patient.

Background: Diabetes, a chronic disorder and requires life-long treatment. Cost of drug treatment is a major hurdle related to medication compliance in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The objective of the study was to find out the cost of antidiabetic drugs available in the drug store of a tertiary care hospital and compare it with the different brands of the same drugs available in Indian market. To evaluate the difference in cost of different brands of same active drug by calculating percentage variation of cost.Methods: Cost of single compound and combination compound oral antidiabetic drugs available in drug store and those same drugs in Indian market manufactured by different companies, in the same strength, number and dosage form. The percentage price variation between minimum and maximum cost of drugs were calculated. The percentage difference in cost of antidiabetic drugs available in drug store and in the Indian market was calculated.Results: The percentage price variation of oral antidiabetic drugs available in drug store was found to be as follows. In sulfonylureas, it was highest in Glimepiride (2mg) 1962, 96%, among biguindes, Metformin (500mg) 3012.5%, among alpha glucosidase inhibitors Voglibose (0.2mg) 387.17%. Voglibose (0.3mg) 361.30%. Among combination therapy Voglibose (0.3mg) + Metformin (500mg) 2809% showed maximum price variation.Conclusions: The average percentage price variation of different brands of the same drug is very wide and hence the physician must keep this in mind while prescribing since the drug treatment of type II diabetes mellitus is usually lifelong. Hence, manufacturing companies should aim to decrease the price variation while maintaining the therapeutic efficacy. Drug store of tertiary care hospital should try to provide the oral antidiabetic drug with least cost and sell the generic drugs.

Background: The study was done with the objective to study whether the physician’s global evaluation of the consultation corelates with patient’s self-evaluation to patient outcome concerning symptom relief of nasal congestion by using visual analogue scale.Methods: A total of 52 patients completed a visual analogue score questionnaire presented at the consultation. 52 patients were reached in a seven days follow-up after the consultation. Patient’s outcome measures conducted at MIMER Medical College and Dr. Bhausaheb Sardesai Hospital in rural Maval Taluka in Pune district of Maharashtra state.Results: Physician’s self-evaluation of the consultation was much more strongly associated with outcome than the patient’s evaluation.Conclusions: The difference between the physician’s and patient’s evaluation of the consultation to predict patient outcomes indicates that the physician’s self-evaluation of the consultation is of importance.

Background: This study was to assess the usefulness of nasal smear as a quick, easy and inexpensive diagnostic method for allergic rhinitis and for assessment of the cost effectiveness of antihistaminics.Methods: This study was conducted in rural setting of tertiary care hospital. Nasal smears were taken from 52 patients with a clinical history of nasal allergy having nasal congestion score of at least 3 or more. Nasal smears were stained with Hematoxilin-Eosin and examined by pathologists.Results: A total of 52 patients 13 in each groups of the age group 18 to 65 years (Mean age, 33.73±10.23 years); 48.08% are Female and 51.92% are Male were randomized and received either Cetirizine, Levocetirizine, Loratadine, or Fexofenadine over a period of one week. The association of eosinophil before and after the treatment was obtained using logistic regression analysis for each treatment separately. Eosinophil is marginally associated with Cetirizine before and after treatment.Conclusions: Evaluation of eosinophils in nasal smear is an insensitive but cheaper test for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and use as a simple tool for comparison of cost effectiveness among commonly used oral antihistaminics. pharmacoeconomic analysis of present comparative clinical study shows that cetirizine is a better choice in comparison with levocetrizine, loratidine and fexofenadine due to its cost effectiveness.