Study of variation in price of various antidiabetic drugs available in Indian market.
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Date
2015-01
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Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus in early age is on the alarming rise in India, requiring
lifelong treatment. There is a wide range of variation in the prices of antidiabetic drugs
marketed in India. Hence, we decided to study price variations in the oral antidiabetic
drugs available, either singly or in combination, and number of manufacturing
companies for each, and to evaluate the difference in cost of different brands of same
active drug by calculating percentage variation of cost.
Methods: Cost of a particular drug being manufactured by different companies, in
the same strength and dosage forms was obtained from “Current Index of Medical
Specialties” July-October 2014 and “Indian Drug Review” July 2014. The difference
in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug, manufactured by different
pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in price was calculated.
Results: Percentage price variation among different group of drugs was found
to be as follows: in sulfonylureas, it was highest in glimepiride 2 mg 836.44%,
among biguanides - metformin 500 mg 245.55%, among thiazolidionedionespioglitazone
15 mg 600%, among α glucosidase inhibitors - voglibose 284.61% and
meglitinides - repaglinide 0.5 mg 181.40%. Among combination therapy glimepiride
1 mg + metformin 500 mg 366.66%, pioglitazone + metformin 207.51%, pioglitazone
+ glimepiride 268.42% showed maximum variation in price.
Conclusion: The average percentage price variation of different brands of the same
oral antidiabetic drug manufactured in India is very wide. The appropriate changes
in the government policy, sensitizing the prescribers about cost of therapy and proper
management of marketing drugs should be directed toward maximizing the benefits
of therapy and minimizing negative economic consequences.
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Keywords
Price variation, Antidiabetic drugs, Branded generics
Citation
Date Amit Padmakar, Mahajan Harshal M, Dashputra Amruta V, Bhosale Rahul R. Study of variation in price of various antidiabetic drugs available in Indian market. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2015 Jan-Feb; 4(1): 36-40.