Recent Trends in Systemic Psoriasis Treatment Costs

Abstract

To analyze the current total cost of systemic therapy for psoriasis and to compare annual trends in the cost of both generic and brand-name therapies with trends in the Consumer Price Index-Urban since 2000.Design: A cost model was developed that includes costs for prescription drugs, office visits, and suggested laboratory tests and monitoring procedures. Annual trends in psoriasis drug costs from 2000 through 2008 were analyzed by calculating the percentage change in the average wholesale price from the previous year; these values were compared with changes in the yearly Consumer Price Index-Urban values.Setting: The United States.Main Outcome Measures: Total annual costs for systemic psoriasis therapies and trends in cost compared with the trends in Consumer Price Index-Urban values (equivalent to inflation).Results: Current total annual costs for systemic psoriasis therapies ranged from $1197 (methotrexate) to $27 577 (alefacept, two 12-week courses). Trends in the average wholesale price of brand-name psoriasis therapies from 2000 through 2008 demonstrate an average increase of 66% (range, −24% to ϩ316%); thus, costs of several brandname psoriasis drugs greatly outpaced the rates of inflation for all items and all prescription drugs.Conclusions: Despite the higher monitoring costs associated with traditional systemic therapies, annual costs of biologics exceed those of other available therapies. Current trends demonstrate that systemic psoriasis therapy costs are increasing at a much higher rate compared with general inflation.

The direct healthcare insurer and out-of-pocket expenditures of psoriasis: evidence from a United States national survey

“…If this adjustment is not made, estimates of incremental costs associated with a disease are less reliable (24,25). While some studies of healthcare expenditures in patients with psoriasis have used this model (15), most have not (12,18). This study has some limitations.…”

“…15,18), but the design of the MEPS helps ameliorate this problem by employing a sample that is nationally-representative. By including a sensitivity analysis using a range of psoriasis prevalence estimates, this study addressed the tendency for prevalence rates to be underreported in surveys, a major methodological challenge recognized in survey research (35).…”

“…They lacked generalizability (15), used outdated estimates of psoriasis prevalence (12), or focused on singular aspects of healthcare expenditures in patients with psoriasis (17,18). In addition, these studies did not include data that could provide national estimates of the healthcare insurer and OOP expenditures of the disease.…”

Pattern of drug use in psoriasis inpatients in the department of dermatology at a tertiary care teaching hospital

“…Use of generics usually provides flexibility to the dispensing pharmacist and generic drugs are less expensive than brand-name drugs. 13 A third of patients were prescribed FDCs which when used in rational combinations tend to offer patents convenience and improves their compliance to therapy. 14 Emollients were underused in spite of the evidence of their "steroid sparing effect, " i.e., their ability to reduce the need to use topical steroids.…”

Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Psoriasis in Comparison with Normal Subjects in Shiraz Iran

“…It affects nearly 3% of the world's population (3). In addition, it imposes heavy load of financial problems the affected patients and their family, where the annual psoriasis treatment cost is estimated to be $1197 to $27,577 (4). Psoriasis decreases the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the patients and their family as well (5).…”