National trends in the use and costs of anti-obesity medications in England 1998-2005.
BACKGROUND
To report the trends in the use and costs of anti-obesity medications in England from 1998 to 2005.


METHODS
We analysed data on all community anti-obesity drug prescriptions in England collated by the prescription cost analysis system.


RESULTS
Between 1998 and 2005, Orlistat prescriptions rose 36-fold from 17,880 to 646,700 and total cost increased by over 35-fold. Sibutramine prescriptions rose from 2001 to 2005 from 53,393 to 227,000, a 4-fold increase. Although prescriptions of Orlistat and Sibutramine have increased substantially since they were first introduced, the rate of growth decreased substantially in recent years until 2005, when a significant increase in the number and cost of prescriptions for orlistat occurred yet again.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a large increase in the use and costs of anti-obesity prescriptions, consistent with the increased awareness of obesity amongst health care professionals and the public. Despite this large increase, there are still no head-to-head studies at a national level that directly compare all anti-obesity medication in use in the UK.
Srishanmuganathan
Janakan
J
St. Mary's Hospital, London W2 1NY, UK.
Patel
Hitesh
H
Car
Josip
J
Majeed
Azeem
A
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000639:trends; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D000077403:Orlistat; D015995:Prevalence
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D007783:Lactones; D000077403:Orlistat; C058254:sibutramine