title: Do users of risperidone who switch brands because of generic reference pricing fare better or worse than non-switchers? A New Zealand natural experiment.
abstract: This study evaluated patient health outcomes and any impact on healthcare costs consequent to the implementation of generic reference-pricing of risperidone in New Zealand using national datasets. Reference pricing risperidone reduced the price of the originator brand by 50 % as well as overall expenditure on risperidone tablets. Half of all patients made a single switch to generic risperidone, with the remainder making multiple switches between brands. 1.5 % made a switch-back to the originator brand. No difference was found in use of healthcare services between switchers and non-switchers of the originator brand or versus the comparator group. This refutes the available literature on brand-to-generic and generic-to-generic switching.
authors.affiliation: Health Systems Section, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. c.lessing@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Charon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lessing
authors.affiliation: Health Systems Section, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ashton
authors.affiliation: Health Systems Section, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016527:Drug Costs; D057915:Drug Substitution / Q000191:economics*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013096:Spermine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C502960:1,12-diamino-3,6,9-triazadodecane; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D013096:Spermine; D018967:Risperidone
keywords: Antipsychotic; Generic; Reference-pricing; Risperidone