do higher drug costs lead to better health?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Zee - 18 Jan 2005 18:37 GMT

DO HIGHER DRUG COSTS LEAD TO BETTER HEALTH?

Barbara Mintzes 1, Joel Lexchin 2

1Post-doctoral fellow, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and
Centre for Health Services & Policy Research University of British
Columbia,
2Associate Professor School of Health Policy and Management York
University Corresponding Author: bmintzesATchspr.ubc.ca

http://www.cjcp.ca/pdf/CJCP04-041_e22.pdf

_____________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT Prescription drugs are the fastest growing healthcare cost in
Canada. Increased spending is mainly due to use of newer, more
expensive medicines and a higher overall volume of prescription drug
use. In the large majority of cases, empirical studies fail to support
claims of a net benefit to health. Newer high-priced drugs are neither
consistently safer nor more effective than older alternatives.

--------more------

Reply to this Message

Repeating Rifle - 19 Jan 2005 06:54 GMT

> ABSTRACT Prescription drugs are the fastest growing healthcare cost in
> Canada. Increased spending is mainly due to use of newer, more
> expensive medicines and a higher overall volume of prescription drug
> use. In the large majority of cases, empirical studies fail to support
> claims of a net benefit to health. Newer high-priced drugs are neither
> consistently safer nor more effective than older alternatives.

It may well be that high drug prices discourage use of drugs that may do
more harm than good. Was it not only in the early 20th century that your
health did not suffer on average for seeing a physician? Similarly, was no
homeopathic medicine good for you because you ended up with no medication?
How can we be sure that there has been significant change?

Bill

Reply to this Message