title: Cox-2 inhibitors.
abstract: Increasing pharmacy costs are among the fastest growing segments of the health care budget. Health plans are focusing on appropriately managing pharmaceutical costs, both from a long-term global perspective and a short-term approach emphasizing newly marketed products. Over the next six months, cox-2 inhibitors are expected to be approved by the FDA. This new class of drugs, investigated as a safer alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), is among the most highly anticipated medications to hit the marketplace. How health plans react to the launch of cox-2 inhibitors may serve as an example for future pharmacy management efforts. A proactive policy regarding the use of cox-2 inhibitors may be challenging, but should include: Reviewing clinical information; evaluating the cost of the new drug; and identifying appropriate patient selection criteria. The available management strategies include precertification, a tiered co-payment system, restricting prescriptions to a provider specialty, retrospective physician profiling, and physician education.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000191:economics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003669:Deductibles and Coinsurance; D017277:Drug Approval; D016527:Drug Costs; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005569:Formularies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018579:Patient Selection; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000187:drug effects*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases