Study on Variations in Price of Prescription Medicines in Thailand

Abstract

There are evidences describing that the prices of prescription medicines can aŠect users, suppliers, and, in particular, payers in the health care system. Despite the signiˆcant eŠects of prices, the information regarding their characteristics is scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the prices and price variations of prescription medicines in an actual setting. A cross-sectional study on the prices of prescription medicines listed in a hospital formulary was undertaken. The medicines (n＝1531) listed in the formulary were recorded according to the category of the medicine (essential or non-essential medicines), manufacturer types (local or foreign), dosage forms, therapeutic classiˆcations (classes), and prices per unit in Baht. This study used coe‹cients of relative variations (CRVs) to determine the extent of price variations. Results revealed that the mean prices of non-essential and foreign medicines were signiˆcantly greater than those of its counterparts by 1.7 and 21.2 times, respectively. On an average, the classes with the highest prices were blood-related, antineoplastic, and endocrinological agents, while those with the lowest prices were the psychotherapeutic, CNS, and cardiovascular agents. The majority of the medicines (37％) were in the price range of ＞10-100 Baht. The price variations of diŠerent classes of medicines varied from about 100％ to 600％. The mean price and CRV levels (low and high) formed four groups of medicines with diŠerent risks of high prices and variations to payers. In conclusion, the prices are associated with the category and manufacturer type. The prices and their variations could be used to distinguish the classes of medicines that possess diŠerent risks of high prices and variations to payers. Identifying the classes with high prices and high variations, high prices and low variations, and low prices and high variations is necessary for careful intervention to reduce the eŠect of prices and their variations on payers.

Effects of essential medicines on cardiovascular products available for the market in Thailand

“…Domestic producers are main agents for List A products, but foreign for List D. In other words, whether the involvement of producers in production would be more or less depends on the types of sublists. It is evident that the average prices of domestic products of cardiovascular system in a hospital formulary are about 5.7 times lower than those by foreign [34]. The prices of domestic products available are likely to be cheap.…”

“…EM products have accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total indicating a major proportion. These products are likely to be cheap because of a report describing that the prices of EM cardiovascular products in a hospital formulary are about 4.9 times lower than those of non-EM [34]. The expansions of generic names into several trade names are due to var- ious producers, so large expansions reflect a variety of producers interested in introducing it into the market.…”

Factors associated with the market availability of systemic anti-infective products in Thailand (no. 743)

“…It is evident that the prices of the original products are usually much higher than those of the generic ones (Bergman and Rudholm 2003). Also, there is a report showing that the average price of antiinfective products by foreign manufacturers is about 29 times greater than that for local manufacturers (Burapadaja 2007b). Hence, local manufacturers could provide products not only in greater number, but also with cheaper prices.…”

Physicians´ generic drug prescribing behavior in district hospitals: a case of Phitsanulok, Thailand

“…If implemented, the strategy would prove to substantially save cost in many health care settings 5,6. Unfortunately, the reports solely focused the economic outcome from the perspective of administrators.…”

“…3 , 4 If implemented, the strategy would prove to substantially save cost in many health care settings. 5 , 6 Unfortunately, the reports solely focused the economic outcome from the perspective of administrators. Other studies mainly concentrated on the cognitive and affective aspects such as beliefs and attitudes towards generic drug use and generic substitution.…”