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Pharmaceutical
advertising works, but at what cost?
Chattanooga,
Tenn.
Open
your favourite magazine or newspaper, or turn on the nightly news.
Odds are you’ll read or hear about the ever-rising cost of
healthcare, and you’ll also see one of the main drivers to
increasing costs - direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads. ‘‘Direct-to-consumer
pharmaceutical ads continue to contribute to the increase in drug
utilization and, therefore, rising healthcare costs,’’
said Dr Steven Coulter, senior vice-president and chief medical
officer for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. ‘‘Prescription
drug costs account for the fastest rate of annual increase of any
component of healthcare spending. It has even exceeded the cost
of inpatient care.’’
According
to a study by the National Institute for Health Care Management,
a nonprofit research foundation that was founded by the BlueCross
BlueShield health insurance plans, rising demand for the top 20
popular drugs accounted for half the $21 billion sales increase
in 2000. Leading the list were arthritis drugs Vioxx and Celebrex;
the cholesterol-lowering drugs Lipitor, Zocor and Pravachol; as
well as Paxil and Prozac for depression; Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec
for allergies; and Prilosec for ulcers.
Drug
companies spent $2.5 billion on direct-to-consumer ads in 2000,
a 35-per cent increase from the $1.8 billion spent in 1999.
Other
reasons for increased prescription drug spending include an aging
population, newer drugs that are more expensive than older medicines,
and an increased use of drugs for chronic conditions.
Nonetheless,
Americans are paying the price. What can consumers do to help manage
skyrocketing drug costs? ‘‘We are not suggesting people
not take prescription drugs. Prescription drugs help people get
and stay healthy,’’ Dr Coulter said. ‘‘But,
consumers can take steps to get the most from their prescription
drug benefits.’’ One safe, effective alternative to high
price brand name drugs is the use of generic equivalents. It now
costs an average of $45 to fill a prescription.
The
50 top-selling drugs cost more than $67. Generic drugs on average
cost a little more than $19. ‘‘People should also use
their insurance company’s pharmacy network and preferred drug
lists. These pharmacy programme features help keep the cost of healthcare
benefits affordable,’’ Dr Coulter added.
BW
HealthWire
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