Higher Use& Intro of New Drugs Cause Increased Drug Spending
Remember all those studies saying the the American public is more interested in taking better care of themselves and using natural alternatives?? Well, I for one think those reports are wrong and many people still rely on pharmaceuticals for “answers” to their health problems.
Drug Benefit Trends 12(7):7-8, 2000 Pharmacy benefit costs are rising largely because of higher utilization: more people are taking prescription medicines and taking them for a longer period. Price inflation, by contrast, has had a relatively minor effect on the trend of increasing expenditures for drugs, according to Merck-Medco’s Drug Trend 2000 Report, “Managing Pharmacy Benefit Costs — New Insights for a New Century.” Other reasons for utilization increases include an aging population; new medical guidelines that call for earlier or more aggressive treatment of certain diseases; the enthusiastic reception given by patients and physicians to new drugs that have either modest or significant therapeutic advances; direct-to-consumer advertising; drugs with more convenient dosage forms or fewer side effects; and more health care being delivered on an outpatient basis, which means that drugs are covered under the pharmacy benefit plan, rather than in hospitals or physicians’ offices where drugs are covered under the medical plan.
All but one of the remaining children experienced only minor reactions, including fever, local reactions, and/or lethargy, during the 7 days following immunization.