High Prescription Drug Prices Lead To Scrutiny Of Medication Dosage Levels

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Pharmacy / Pharmacist;  Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 18 Mar 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The New York Times on Sunday examined how the proper dosage of a prescription drug "becomes a matter of public debate" when the drug can cost patients or health care providers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

Cerezyme -- manufactured by Genzyme to treat patients with Gaucher disease, a rare inherited enzyme deficiency -- can cost more than $300,000 annually, according to the Times. Some experts say that about one-quarter of the recommended dose of Cerezyme is adequate for most Gaucher patients, which could create savings of more than $200,000 per patient annually. However, other Gaucher specialists say reducing the dosage of the medication could pose a danger to patients and increase their risk for complications that can arise without much warning.

The disagreement over Cerezyme could be an indication of the "increased scrutiny" that dosing will receive as prescription drug prices rise, the Times reports. While drug makers in the past have faced dissatisfaction over the cost of their products, they now might have to "defuse efforts to use less of their drugs to cut costs" and face accusations that "doses are inflated to bolster profits," according to the Times. The Times reports that there are also questions about "how much burden taxpayers and co-workers should be expected to bear" because expensive drugs -- particularly in full doses -- can raise insurance premiums for everyone (Pollack, New York Times, 3/16).

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