title: Impact of Health Policy Changes on Trends in the Pharmaceutical Market in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The implementation phase of the Turkish Health Transformation Program (HTP) began in 2003, with the aim of organizing, financing, and delivering health care services effectively, efficiently, and equally. The HTP impacted all clinical and economic outcomes of health, including pharmaceutical sales, by improving access to health services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand the impact of five selected major policy changes that made an impact on supply, demand, or price in the pharmaceutical market between 1998 and 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Monthly sales data (in units and value in US $) of a total of 180 pharmaceuticals covering the period between 1998 and 2012 were used for statistical analysis. Five major policies that could affect health expenditures and the demand and supply of pharmaceuticals were selected and led by the Ministry of Health. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered as the cutoff value for statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a growing trend in pharmaceuticals value and units in years, possibly as a result of the HTP implementation. Supply- and demand-related policies had a negative impact on the trends for value, whereas the pricing policy had a positive impact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It could be said that the HTP had an impact on units for improved access to health care services. Although this access increased the consumption of pharmaceuticals in units, the policies implemented were successful in controlling pharmaceutical expenditures.
authors.affiliation: Turkish Medicines and Medical Device Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra Safak
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.affiliation: Health Economics and Policy Association, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: guvenc.kockaya@sepd.org.tr.
authors.forename: Güvenç
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koçkaya
authors.affiliation: Health Economics and Policy Association, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma Betül
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Yenilmez
authors.affiliation: Health Economics and Policy Association, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saylan
authors.affiliation: Health Economics and Policy Association, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehtap
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tatar
authors.affiliation: Turkish Medicines and Medical Device Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Akif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbulat
authors.affiliation: Turkish Medicines and Medical Device Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakkı
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gürsöz
authors.affiliation: Turkish Medicines and Medical Device Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Saim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerman
mesh_terms: D003363:Cost Control; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D016527:Drug Costs; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006291:Health Policy; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Health Transformation Program; health policy; pharmaceutical market