Cost Analysis of Oral Antipsychotic Drugs Available in the Indian Market

Psychotic disorders are serious mental disorders, associated with significant personal distress, social disability & lifelong treatment. However, commonly used antipsychotic drugs are very expensive. There exists a wide variation in prices of drugs marketed in India and other countries of the world. The present study was aimed to represent the existing situation of availability and price variation by comparing data about brand availability and difference in pricing between various brands. Cost of a particular drug being manufactured by different companies, in the same strength, number per strip and dosage forms was analysed from ‘Current Index Of Medical Specialities’(CIMS) July- October 2013 & ‘Indian Drug Review’(IDR) September 2013. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in price was calculated. Percentage price variation of the commonly used drugs was as follows: Among atypical antipsychotics, Olanzapine (10mg) shows maximum price variation of 1136.8%, Clozapine (25 mg) shows variation of 79% while Amisulpride (300 mg) shows variation of 8.57%. Among conventional antipsychotics, Haloperidol (5mg) shows maximum price variation of 348 % while flupentixol (3mg) shows variation of 5.16%. Average percentage price variation of different brands of the same oral antipsychotic drug is very wide, maximum variation is seen with Olanzapine and minimum with Flupentixol. The appraisal & management of marketing of drugs should be directed toward maximizing benefits of therapy and minimizing negative personal & economic consequences. Prescribers and patients should be educated about drug prices.