New Study Finds Adherence to Medicines Leads to Lower Health Care Costs

New Study Finds Adherence to Medicines Leads to Lower Health Care Costs

Washington, D.C. (January 10, 2010) — Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Senior Vice President Wes Metheny today released the following statement:

“A new study featured in the January issue of Health Affairs reaffirms the importance of medication adherence to patients’ health and overall treatment costs. The study, which focuses on four chronic conditions, found that patients who regularly adhered to their prescription regimen significantly reduced their total health care spending and lowered the number of emergency room visits and the number of days a patient spent in the hospital.

“Across all four conditions, total health care costs were significantly lower for adherent patients, even after accounting for an increase in spending on medicines. Specifically, adherence reduced average annual health care spending by $7,823 for patients with congestive heart failure, $3,908 for hypertension, $3,756 for diabetes, and $1,258 in patients with dyslipidemia, according to the article.

“As this study confirms, many of the costs associated with nonadherence to medicines can be avoided; indeed improving patient adherence is one of the best opportunities to achieve better results and greater value from our health care system. Closing the adherence gap is an important component to the success of initiatives to improve the quality of health care in the U.S., encourage better chronic care management and promote better overall health outcomes.”

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $45.8 billion in 2009 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $65.3 billion in 2009.

PhRMA Internet Address: http://www.phrma.org

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