title: [Pharmaceutical prescription for multiple sclerosis : evaluation of pharmaceutical consumption at private health insurance].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For persons covered by statutory health insurance (SHI) an increase in the number of defined daily doses (DDD) for pharmaceuticals to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is known but so far there has been no comparable survey for private health insurance (PHI). Moreover, there are gaps in knowledge of the reasons for the increase and concerning the number of the MS patients in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is based on pharmaceutical data of the PHI in Germany. The projection takes into account the different prevalence and the different male/female relationship in SHI and PHI in an extrapolation to the total population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2006 to 2010 the number of DDDs of MS pharmaceuticals increased by approximately 91.6 % (SHI 39.9 %) per insured person. The increase in the PHI is mainly based for on an increase in the number of MS patients. The total number of MS patients in Germany was estimated to be approximately 146,000 whereby some 12,700 MS patients (8.7 %) were insured in PHI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for research into the reasons for the increase in MS patients. The disproportional increase in the PHI compared to SHI could be a result of the increase of insured persons and an increased inclusion of persons with a higher risk of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Wissenschaftliches Institut der PKV (WIP), Gustav-Heinemann-Ufer 74c, 50968, Köln, Deutschland. frank.wild@wip-pkv.de
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wild
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069442:Natalizumab; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069442:Natalizumab; D010455:Peptides; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a