Experiment of Reducing Drug Costs through the Concurrent Listing of Drug Prices in the Prescribing System:

Investigation into Oral Proton Pump Inhibitors

Abstract

The cost and cost-effectiveness of drugs are often not prioritized in drug selection due to the busyness of daily clinical practice. In this study, we listed the drug price next to the drug name in the electronic medical prescription system for proton pump inhibitors and potassium ion-competitive acid blockers to encourage consideration of drug cost when selecting drugs. The impact of this initiative on drug costs was examined. The results showed that, during the intervention period of six months, the number of patients prescribed lansoprazole increased by 52, and those prescribed Nexium^® and Takecab^® decreased by 110 and 59 compared to the standard period. Total drug costs for the target drugs were ¥3,851,734 in the standard period and ¥3,338,236 in the intervention period, a decrease of ¥513,499 (13.3％) in six months. The approach to listing the drug price next to the drug name was very simple, required little effort, and resulted in a reduction in total drug costs.