Journal of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Management
Volume:9 Issue: 4, Autumn 2023

Development serves as a critical stream that propels the enhancement and advancement of a nation’s socio-economic framework. Preserving and elevating community health standards is deemed essential within any economic and social planning endeavors. Since the inception of societal living, health has stood as a fundamental human requirement. In accordance with this principle, the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, serving as the principal guiding instrument, recognizes health as a “universal right.” It mandates that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran formulate strategies to actualize this right.

This qualitative investigation employed an adaptive approach and content analysis techniques to examine each of the six development plans ratified post-Islamic Revolution in Iran.

The role of health was conspicuously minimal in the first and second development plans. The core health policy during these initial stages focused on broadening public health via the establishment of healthcare facilities. The third development plan saw an escalation in the attention devoted to health-related sections, with a strategic aim to bolster efficiency and overhaul the structure of the health system. Policies within the health sector during the fourth and fifth development strategies were directed toward fostering equitable access to health services and enhancing the fairness of financial contributions. Prominent objectives of the sixth plan encompass the quantitative and qualitative expansion of health insurance and the execution of a stratification and referral system.

The initial three development plans lacked a comprehensive perspective of the overarching strategy, with the majority of provisions possessing a service-oriented nature that failed to ascend to a policy-making level. As the planning progressed, there was a marked shift in approach. Subsequent plans have concentrated on securing equitable access to health services and on ameliorating the fairness of financial participation.

Drug utilization evaluation (DUE) studies are designed to evaluate the rational use of drugs. Our purpose in this study is to evaluate the pattern of Imipenem, a broad-spectrum antibiotic used in different parts of Imam Khomeini and Taleghani Educational Center of Urmia.

Method and material: 

This is a cross-sectional and retrospective study. The study was conducted by reviewing medical records of 200 admitted patients who received Imipenem during March 2016 to 2017.

In the study Imipenem was prescribed most frequently for intra-abdominal infection in 71 cases (35.5%), 41cases (20.5%) respiratory infection, 31 cases (15.5%) urinary tract infection, 25 cases (12.5%) skin infection, 15 (7.5%) cases septicemia infection, 7 (3.5%) cases bone and neutropenic infection, endocarditis infection were reported in 3 cases (1.5%). The highest incidence was related to intra-abdominal infections. 61% of Talehgsni hospital patients and 46% of Imam Khomeini hospital patients received Imipenem less than a week. The used dose in all patients was between one to four grams per day and the frequency of use was not correct in 7% of Taleghani hospital patients and 23% of patients in Imam Khomeini hospital.

Some AB combination was proved to be inappropriate to the guidline consedering the indication or the microorganism to be covered. It is necessary to take action to improve prescribing habit in order to reduce the unnecessary usage of antibiotic thus enhance rational antibiotic use.

Branded generics are off-patent medications with proprietary names which are bioequivalent to the innovator medications. Cardiovascular diseases, driven by diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, are major health concerns, where patient compliance is crucial for long-term management. This analysis investigates cost variations of first-line branded generics for these conditions in Indian primary care settings.

First-line medications preferred for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were identified through an online survey of prescribers. Data from 1mg.com, an Indian online pharmacy, was used to compile a list of available brands for each medication. The study compared the prices of the five most prescribed brands, the three lowest-cost and one highest-cost brand per medication, and calculated the percentage cost difference.

First-line medications preferred for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia in India include Metformin 500mg, Enalapril 5mg, Telmisartan 40mg, Amlodipine 5 mg, and Atorvastatin 20mg. The analysis reveals significant cost disparities among commonly prescribed brands, with Metformin, Enalapril, Telmisartan, and Atorvastatin being notably more expensive (up to 1177%) than lower-cost alternatives, potentially placing a financial burden on patients. Amlodipine, however, exhibits modest cost variation (26-113%), with commonly prescribed brands leaning toward lower-cost options.

Cost disparities among commonly prescribed brands could harm patient compliance and outcomes, emphasizing the need for cost-effective medication selection. This study offers crucial insights into cost variations in India's treatment of Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and Dyslipidemia, underscoring the importance of cost awareness for improved patient compliance and healthcare system sustainability.

India has a growing market for pharmaceutical over-the-counter medications, which indicates that the pharmaceutical industry in this nation is expanding rapidly. In the past ten years, the Indian pharmaceutical business has experienced a significant change in marketing tactics. Companies actively publicize their over-the-counter products to promote them. In contrast to Europeans who rely on their local chemist to treat small ailments, North Americans place a greater emphasis on seeking medical guidance for treating minor ailments. Only ongoing public education with a broad perspective on the good health and wellbeing of society may raise awareness of rational drug use. Compared to other consumer commodities, OTC medications have significant brand loyalty. But going forward, it is also expected that merchants with strong sales capacities will be able to boost the market presence of their own private-label goods. The government and several pharmaceutical firms are undertaking a number of programmes to raise awareness about various medications and shift Rx to OTC.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant number of patients requiring ICU admission. Survivors of COVID-19 who have been treated in the ICU may experience a decrease in their quality of life (QOL) due to physical, psychological, and social consequences. This review study aims to evaluate the QOL of ICU survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To conduct this review, a systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Studies published between January 2020 and July 2023 were included in this review. The search strategy included keywords such as COVID-19, Intensive Care Units, Survivors, Quality of Life, Outcome Measures.

The initial search identified 113 studies, of which 16 met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The QOL of ICU survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be significantly lower than that of the general population, with physical, psychological, and social impairments being the most commonly reported consequences. The use of rehabilitation interventions, such as early mobility and exercise, were found to improve QOL in ICU survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 patients who require hospitalization and ICU admission may experience short-term and long-term physical, cognitive, emotional, and societal complications and effects after hospital discharge. These complications can significantly impact the patients' health-related quality of life, physical functioning, and psychological well-being.