Regulatory and H ealthcare News

Pharmacists save healthcare costs in South Africa

Treatment of minor ailments by community pharmacists in South Africa could generate annual heallhcare cost savings of R327 million to R 1.16 billion ( US89.7 million to SUS318.6 million). said Professor A Dreyer at the annual conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.

Professor Dreyer from Potchefstroom University in South Africa added that additional savings of Rt24 million (SUS34 minion) could be realised through the introduction of 'pharmaceutica1 care' and phannacist interVention. He suggested that these further savings could ensue if a single prescription interVention occurred daily in every community pharmacy in the country.

Reasons behind intervention Professor Dreyer and colleagues examined the

incidence. e:lttent and outcomes associated with community pharmacists' prescription interventions. In their analysis. pharmacists from 135 South African pharmacies intervened in 3124 drug prescriptions. The prescription was SlOpped in 3.9% of these cases, while 48. 1 % were changed before being dispensed . 7.5% of prescribing errors were associated with drug anergies. 8.6% with drug-drug or drug-disease interactions. and 16% were associated with dosage omissions.

A 'value-added' setvice Overall, the added value a .. sociatcd with community

pharmacist prescription screening totalled R2.92 (5USO.8) for every new prescription. Treanncnt for minor ailments cost each patient an average of R27.26 (SUS7.48).

By providing a cost-effective drug service for the treatment of minor ailments, community phannacists relieve the burden on other sectors of the South African healthcare system, concluded Professor Dreyer. When reviewing physicians prescriptions, community pharma­cists also contribute significantly to the de tection. prevention and resolution of drug-related events. thereby improving patient outcomes and costs, he added. Poccntial savings in South Africa health care CO)$U. ~ter. 17. 24 Jill I99S -..-

Wyeth-AyerstJMedco disease management partnership

A joint venture to develop and sell disease manage­ment programmes has been established between American Home Product 's Wyeth-Ayerst and Merck & Co.'s Medco Containment Services Inc., reports the Wall Street Journal . I

The partnership will focus on disease management programmes for women's health issues. including prenatal care, menopause. osteoporosis and family planning. adds the Pink Sheet.2 Programmes wiU also be developed for arthritis and cardiac arrhythmias. The disease management plans will be based on the expert opinions of an independent medical advisory board.

The aim of the disease management programmes, which Wyeth-Ayerst and Medco plan to implement in 1996, is to lower overall medical costs by increasing prescription-drug use. claim the companies. l

'ln~lM01 .otf' Adt. lm.m.tlonltl Llmlled llM15. AI' rlghta.-...cl

lhe partnership will not include product contracting. formulary management or any other customary phanna­ceutical benefit management activities. according to the Pink S hu t.2

I. Ullits of American Heme. Merck form joint va1I:IR. Wall Street JoumaI; 86. 18 Jill 1995 1. Medc:o(Wyeth·A)'a'Sl disc-. ~ ~ to dr:boi.l in 1996. FOC RqxIns . Pink ~ T.t.O 6-7,:z.4 Jill I~ _ ....

PBMlindustry mergers impact fonnulary decisions

Phannacy directors' greatest concern about mergers between phannaceutical benefit management companies (PBMs) and drug companies is the potential for industry to influence drug formularies developed by PBMs. according to Dr David Lawrence and Professor C Wayne Weart from the Medical University of South Carolina in the US.

1bey surveyed 200 health maintenance organisation (HMO) pharmacy directors on their opinions about the impact of such mergers on HMOs. phannacy services. PBMs and the drug industry; the response rate was 36%. 84% of survey respondents also participated in a follow-up survey during the next 6--12 months to identify possible changes of opinion.

More than 75% of directors believed that such mergers would help drug companies maintain their product lines. 1be need for drug companies to maintain market share could inappropriately influence formulary decisions. according to the majority of respondents . A significant proportion of the directors also agreed that PBM and industry mergers had the ability to impede appropriate hea1thcare delivery for an HMO. u ",,",nce 08, Wean CW. HMO pbarm.ocy dim:!.On' opiniofts of..:qW$ition of pt..rm.:y bum! rnanaaemem eompanie$. American Journal of HeaIth·System Plwmac:y 52: 1547· 1549. 15JIII I995 _,

News from Spain ... • 51 % of heaJthcare consumers in Spain are against the use of drug lists to control physicians' prescribing. 64% are against the exclusion of medicines from government funding and 71 % are against an increase in patient copayments. according 10 the findings of a survey sponsored by the Spani sh pharmaceutical industry. Also, survey respondents were not concerned about whether they are dispensed a generic o r proprie­tary medicine, o r the prices of these agents, as long as they receive the medicine that was prescribed by their physician. 7 5% of respondents said they would not welcome product substitution by phannacislS. Interestingly. 75% of individuals surveyed believed that drug use was excessive in Spain. but 80% stated that their own drug consumption during the past year was 'adequare '. Spanish news in brief; Spanish views OQ ~ CCllWIlI1ptioa. COlt ~ttin&- Scrip 20(5: 4, 2S Jul l 99S _

• The Spani<h phanna<eutical industry ....cation and Ministry of Health have signed an agreement 10 extend their 3-year contract that was established in 1993, reports the Lancet. 1be pact is aimed at reducing drug spending and providing market stability. The most notable feature of the agreement is a 7 % ceiling on the annual increase in drug sales. Profits in excess of this level will be submitted to the Spanish government.

PHARMACOAESOURCES 12 Aug 1805

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