MDs prescribe SSRIs after three minutes of conversation with patients

[Guest guest]

Anti-depression drugs fuel record-setting drug costs

http://www.wcanews.com/archives/1999/Sep/sep99c.htm

 

A Rand Corporation study recently found that doctors prescribe

anti-depressants after an average of only three minutes of

conversation with

their patients.

 

One of the reasons they're so quick to push drugs like Prozac, Zoloft

and

Paxil is because of the incredible amount of marketing they are

subjected to

by the pharmaceutical companies.

 

Because M.D.s don't have the time to check on real research about the

diagnosis and treatment of these drugs, they rely almost solely on

drug

makers to provide prescribing information. The result is that

powerful and

potentially dangerous drugs are handed out like candy.

 

The pharmaceutical companies have apparently been successful in their

marketing campaign, since antidepressant drugs are now the biggest

contributors to a record-setting drug cost increase of 16.8% last

year,

according to a study by the country's largest independent pharmacy

benefit

manager, Express Scripts, Inc.

 

For consumers, the cost increases mean they will pay a bigger share

of the

expense in the form of higher copayments, ranging from $5.00 for

generic

drugs to $25 or more for selected, single-source brands. Employers

and other

pharmacy benefit plan sponsors currently pay as much as 80% of a

prescription's cost, which can amount to more than $100 each in some

cases.

 

Employers are increasingly unable, or unwilling, to foot the enormous

medical and drug bills being incurred by their workers and many are

greatly

reducing health benefits to all employees. Often, the alternative is

to

reduce other benefits and even salaries as well in order to meet the

health

care costs. The end result is that all workers face the possibility

of less

income or fewer benefits in order to continue to make drug companies

richer.

 

Drugs used to treat depression accounted for $4.76 of last year's

$47.35

average increase in per member per year drug costs. These drugs are

expected

to account for more of the pharmacy benefit dollar than any other

class of

drugs by the end of 1999, according to Express Scripts.

 

Antidepressant drugs are now the second most used class of drugs, just

behind blood pressure controlling antihypertensive drugs like ACE

inhibitors. Antidepressant use increased 11.9% last year, while use of

antihypertensive drugs increased 9.7%.

 

The study also found usage growing for drugs that are marketed as

ways to

control high blood pressure, combat diabetes, lower cholesterol, treat

digestive problems, and open sinuses.

 

Drug prices are higher across the board, too. In 1997-98, prices for

all but

one of the nation's 50 most prescribed drugs increased, many several

times

and often by double digits.

 

SOURCE: Express Scripts, Inc., Press Release, June 29, 1999.