Price disclosure delivering savings

CLOSE to one-in-three prescriptions dispensed for medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is subject to price competition between pharmacies, new data reveals.

Figures released by the Department of Health earlier this week, showed close to 94 million under co-payment prescriptions were supplied for PBS and RPBS (Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) listed medicines in the 2018/19 financial year, costing patients a total of $1.4 billion.

The figure of 94 million below copayment scripts reflected 31% of all PBS/RPBS prescriptions dispensed over the 12 months to 30 Jun, up from 77 million in 2014/15 (26% ).

Antibiotic preparations accounted for the top three most frequently dispensed below co-payment products, with cefalexin (capsule 500mg - as monohydrate) topping the list with a total of 2.3 million scripts filled, at a cost of $28.8 million to patients, or an average price to consumer of $12.50.

Highlighting the impact price disclosure has had on PBS-listed medicines, rosuvastatin (10mg) was the fourth most dispensed medicine, with close to 1.9 million scripts dispensed, at an average cost of $12.88, while atorvastatin (40mg) was the 10th most frequently dispensed products with 1.15 million scripts filled, at a total cost to patients of $12.67 million or $11 per prescription.

Scripts for birth control medication, levonorgestrel and ethinylestratiol in packs containing 21 tablets 150 micrograms-30 micrograms, and 7 inert tablets, accounted for $19 million of unsubsidised medicines, with an average price of $15.36 each.