Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33039996›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2020

Trends in national pharmaceutical expenditure on diabetes in Ireland 2011-2015: a repeated cross-sectional study.

Kate N O Neill, Kathleen E Bennett, Sheena M Mc Hugh, Anthony P Fitzgerald, Patricia M Kearney

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kate N O NeillSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland kate.oneill@ucc.ie.ORCID 0000-0003-4843-4265
Kathleen E BennettDivision of Population Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-2861-7665
Sheena M Mc HughSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Anthony P FitzgeraldSchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Patricia M KearneySchool of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo explore trends in pharmaceutical expenditure on diabetes between 2011 and 2015, describing trends in expenditure on blood glucose-lowering medications and estimating the effect of cost-containment measures implemented during this time.

designRepeated cross-sectional study of national pharmacy claims data in Ireland.

participantsPatients' dispensed items used in the treatment or management of diabetes. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: Total expenditure associated with diabetes was calculated by extracting data on all diabetes-related items dispensed to eligible patients. Costs were categorised into two groups. Diabetes-specific items include items used directly in diabetes treatment (WHO-Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC): A10, V07, V04) and diabetes-related include all other condition-related items (WHO-ATC: B01, C, H04, N03, N06). The impacts of two specific cost-containment measures, co-payments and reference pricing, were assessed using segmented linear regression analyses of interrupted time-series.

resultsTotal expenditure varied over the study period, peaking at €216 994 441 in 2012. Expenditure on diabetes-specific items increased steadily by 18% reaching €153 621 477 in 2015, with blood glucose-lowering medications accounting for 73% of this increase. During the same period, expenditure on diabetes-related items decreased by 32% to €50 835 856. The introduction of reference pricing for atorvastatin in November 2013 resulted in immediate costs savings of €2.4 million per yearly quarter (level-change p<0.001).

conclusionsThe increasing expenditure on blood glucose-lowering medications negates the effect of recent cost-containment measures, presenting a significant challenge for the provision of diabetes care. Innovative policies are required to ensure high-quality diabetes care can be provided at an equitable, affordable and sustainable rate.

Indexed as

Diabetes MellitusPharmaceutical PreparationsPharmacyCross-Sectional StudiesDrug CostsHealth ExpendituresHumansIrelandPharmaceutical Preparationsgeneral diabeteshealth economicshealth policy

Identifiers

PMID33039996
PMCPMC7552837

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.