Health economics and effectiveness analysis of generic anti-diabetic medication from jan aushadhi: An ambispective study in community pharmacy

• Published in: Diabetes & metabolic syndrome clinical research & reviews Vol. 15; no. 6; p. 102303
• Main Authors: Chaudhary, Raushan Kumar, Philip, Melwin Johns, Santhosh, Ashly, Karoli, Satish S., Bhandari, Ramesh, Ganachari, M.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2021
• Subjects: Biomarkers - blood; Blood Glucose - analysis; Cost variation analysis; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Cost-effectiveness analysis; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - economics; Drug Therapy, Combination; Drugs, Generic - economics; Drugs, Generic - therapeutic use; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; HbA1c; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - classification; Hypoglycemic Agents - economics; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; ICER; India; Male; Middle Aged; Pharmacies - statistics & numerical data; Prognosis; Socioeconomic status; India; OOPE; SES; Cost-effectiveness analysis; Socioeconomic status; Cost variation analysis; ICER; Diabetes mellitus; QALY; DPP4I; MACCE; HbA1c; CEA
• ISSN: 1871-4021; 1878-0334
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2021.102303

The pharmacotherapy of diabetes mellitus has a colossal economic burden, which demands cost-effective therapy, as the patients have to be on treatment lifelong. Thus, our study aimed to study cost variation and effectiveness analysis among type 2 diabetic patients. We conducted ambi-spective research for the adult type 2 diabetes patients who underwent substitution of branded anti-diabetic therapy with the generic alternative from “Jan Aushadhi” for more than one month and were not using any other anti-diabetic medicines. Among the monotherapy, glimepiride (2500%) and vildagliptin (20%) were found to have wide and narrow percentage cost variation respectively whereas, metformin Hcl 500 mg plus voglibose 0.2 mg was estimated to have the highest (891.7%), and teneligliptin 20 mg plus metformin 500 mg with the lowest (137.29%) cost variation in case of combined therapy. Similarly, generic substitutions were cost-effective in most patients, whereas the increased cost of brand drugs didn't justify its effectiveness. There was no significant difference between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of brand and generic anti-diabetic drugs (t = 0.774, p = 0.22). The adaptation of generic drugs can significantly reduce the economic burden of treatment. Thus, healthcare professionals should promote generic medicines by prescribing & dispensing generic drugs and erasing misconceptions prevailing among patients. •Maximum patients undergo generic drug substitution; we identified the reasons for it.•A wide range (20%–2500%) of percentage cost variation exists between brand and generic anti-diabetic therapy per unit cost.•There is no statistically significant difference between the HbA1c of brand and generic anti-diabetic therapy.•Generic anti-diabetic therapy is the best cost-effective alternative compared to a brand in middle-income countries.