An Analysis of Cost Variation Among Drugs Available in the Indian Market for the Treatment of Chronic Bone-Related Ailments

Abstract

Background: Treating widely prevalent bone illnesses such as back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and osteoporosis with pharmacological medication can be excessively costly for both the individual and their family. This study aimed to conduct a cost minimization analysis by comparing the prices of Jan Aushadhi (JA) medications with the most expensive and least expensive branded alternatives available in India. Methods: The prices of the most costly, least costly branded, and JA medicines were acquired from the relevant websites. The cost difference, cost ratio, and percentage of cost variation were determined based on the guidelines outlined in the cost minimization analysis research. Results: A total of 67 drugs/combinations used to treat various chronic bone ailments were analyzed. With regard to analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs, the most expensive brand of diclofenac sodium + serratiopeptidase (50mg + 10mg) tablet was 32.5 times more expensive than the cheapest and 10.5 times more costly than the JA brand. Also, the paracetamol 325mg + tramadol 37.5mg combination of the branded tablets was more expensive than JA. Branded cyclosporine was 2.3 times more expensive than JA among immunosuppressants in the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) group. The most expensive immunomodulator, leflunomide, costs four times more than JA. Hydrocortisone injection, an adjuvant, costs 10.8 times more than the cheapest and 2.1 times more than JA. IL-1 inhibitor + nutraceutical combination costs 4.8 times more than the costliest JA brand. Zoledronic acid was 16.1 and 6.8 times more expensive than the cheapest branded and JA drugs. Xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat, used to treat gout, costs 5.2 and 3.3 times more than JA and the cheapest brands. Conclusion: This cost minimization study, the first to the best of our knowledge in the field of chronic musculoskeletal ailments, indicates the usefulness of JA drugs in reducing the patient's financial costs for most drugs.