Antidepressant reformulations: who uses them, and what are the benefits?
The Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984 provides pharmaceutical manufacturers with an incentive to introduce reformulations of existing products that are about to lose patent protection, to extend marketing exclusivity and maintain high prices. Antidepressant reformulations are particularly common. To determine whether the use of reformulations confers benefits, we examined who uses them and whether they affect the duration of medication use. We found some evidence of benefit for subgroups of antidepressant users, although benefits varied across reformulations.
Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. huskamp@hcp.med.harvard.edu
Haiden A
HA
Huskamp
Alisa B
AB
Busch
Marisa E
ME
Domino
Sharon-Lise T
SL
Normand
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D004339:Drug Compounding; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D004465:Economic Competition; D006801:Humans; D010330:Patents as Topic / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors