Price developments of the first level of anatomic-therapeuticchemical classification of regulated medicines
Abstract
Background: This paper analyses the impact of price regulation at the first level of anatomicherapeutic-chemical (ATC) classification of medicines in order to present their developments by medicines structure.
Methods: The analysis included 760 regulated wholesale prices of medicines prescribed on outpatient prescription, which are partly or completely financed by public expenditures in the period 2003–2010. They are classified at the first level, i.e., anatomic main groups by ATC classification. The impact of price regulation on the patterns in wholesale price developments of medicines is estimated by the Lasyperes index and Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Results: The Laspeyres index confirmed the reduction in regulated wholesale prices of medicines for the majority of anatomical main groups of medicines by ATC classification in the years 2003–2010. With some exceptions, this finding was also confirmed by statistically significant differences in the Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Conclusions: Differences in the movement of wholesale prices of anatomic main groups of medicines by ATC classification are associated with the measures of price regulation for medicines and over time. The greatest reductions in prices of medicines are found for the anatomic main groups with a greater number of generic medicines and interchangeable medicines and vice versa, the least reductions or even increases are found for medicines with fewer generic medicines and limited or even nonexistent interchangeability.
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