Raman Kumar Tripathi1*, Manik Chhabra2, Mahendra Singh Rathore1
1Department of Pharmacy Practice, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India.
2PharmD Intern, Department of Pharmacy Practice, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
*Address for Corresponding Author
Raman Kumar Tripathi
Department of Pharmacy Practice,
ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab, India
Abstract
Objective: Objective of the study was to conduct cost variations among marketed pharmaceutical brands for two drug classes which are prescribed for the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) viz Histamine H2 Receptor antagonists (H2A) and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI). Materials and Methods: Two acid lowering drugs classes manufactured by the different Indian pharmaceutical industries were analysed for the cost variation. In this study, two authors has collected the data of the acid lowering drugs in the market of India from “Current Index of Medical Specialties” (CIMS) online edition and Mobile Application of National Pharma Pricing and used cost variation formula to find cost ratio and cost variations. Results: A total of 8 drugs molecules consisting of 18 formulations were accessed by 1198 brands that are present in the Indian market. Among all the acid lowering drugs, the highest cost ratio and percentage cost variation was found for the Pantoprazole 20 followed by Famotidine 20 mg, Omeprazole 20 mg and Ranitidine 150 mg. The highest frequencies of brands were found for Pantoprazole 40 mg followed by Rabeprazole 20 mg and omeprazole 20 mg. Conclusions: In India there are large number of brands available for the same drug with wide and variable cost variations in markets of India which indicate lot of catastrophic burden on india economy, there is need for the price fixation of these pharmaceutical formulations
Keywords: Acid lowering drugs, compliance, cost variation, marketed brands, health economics
