Cost comparisons of seven leading brands of the Hypolipidemic drug, Rosuvastatin available in an India city

Abstract

Background: Hypolipidemic drugs need to be prescribed lifelong for most of the selected patients, once started. Price variation can lead to huge financial strain on the patients, especially when cost associated issues are not considered by the prescribing medical practitioner. This study was conducted to compare the cost, to the patient, of seven most commonly prescribed preparations of different brands of Rosuvastatin ten milligram, in Kolhapur city.Methods: Authors purchased a strip of 10 capsules each of the seven leading brands of Rosuvastatin ten milligrams. The prices of the strip of 10 capsules of each of the seven chosen brands were compared. Finally, the cost of each of these seven brands for one year, was compared directly as well as using percentages. The data was collected, analysed and presented in tabular forms and figures.Results: The data of the cost of seven different brands of a single hypolipidemic drug, Rosuvastatin ten milligram shows that the cost of the costliest among the seven brands of this drug for one year is almost two times that of the cheapest brand, or in other words almost 200 percent that of the cheapest brand.Conclusions: The cost differences between the cheapest and the costliest brands were substantial. The cost of remaining five brands was dispersed in between these two extremes. India, with a major part of the population being highly concerned about the cost of medications, the prescribing medical practitioner must select the preparation wisely . The most costly preparation of Rosuvastatin ten milligram can substantially add to the financial strain on the patient’s yearly expenses. Thus, Pharmaco economic considerations must be a prime concern while making a decision to prescribe medicines, especially in a country like India.

Development and Validation of Analytical Procedure for Elemental Impurities in Rosuvastatin Calcium Tablets by ICP-MS and Microwave Digestion

“…Rosuvastatin calcium tablets, which served as an oral 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A-reductase inhibitor, were extensively employed for the treatment of dyslipidemia, especially in elderly patients with coronary heart disease complicated by hyperlipidemia [ 1 , 2 ]. Given that hypolipidemic drugs need to be prescribed lifelong for most of the selected patients [ 3 ], much more importance should be attached to the control of elements in rosuvastatin calcium tablets. According to USP general chapter 232, risk assessment for Cd, Pb, As, Hg, Co, V, and Ni that were listed in class 1 and class 2A was required, which should be focused on assessing the levels of elemental impurities in tablets in relation to the permissible daily exposures (PDEs) presented in USP 232 and ICH Q3D [ 4 , 5 ].…”