Pharmacy Daily | Cut cost: medicines

MEDICINES Australia is urging the Government to follow the US’ example and start accounting for the economic benefits of medicines rather than focusing purely on cost. The calls follow a Congressional Budget Office review which found that a 1% increase in the number of prescriptions filled causes Medicare spending to drop by roughly 0.2%. “The US Congressional Budget Office has said it will build the benefit of prescription medicines into its future costings of budget proposals,” said Medicines Australia Chief Executive Dr Brendan Shaw. “It is time for policymakers in Australia to think more carefully about the productivity benefits of spending on dementia medicines that keep people out of nursing homes and hospitals or reduce the care burden for families, how subsidising pain and arthritis medication help people get back to work and improve workforce participation and incomes, and the payback to society as well as the individual from all the lives saved by cardiovascular medicines,” he added.

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