Potential savings from an evidence-based consumer-oriented public education campaign on prescription drugs.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To estimate potential savings associated with the Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs program, a national educational program that provides consumers with price and effectiveness information on prescription drugs.

Data sources

National data on 2006 prescription sales and retail prices paid for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-coA) reductase inhibitors (statins).

Study design

We converted national data on aggregate unit sales of drugs in the four classes to defined daily doses (DDD) and estimated a range of potential savings from generic and therapeutic substitution.

Principal findings

We estimated that $2.76 billion, or 7.83 percent of sales, could be sav

SUBMITTER: Donohue JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2653882 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature