Baseline and stochastic intervals for selected international reference prices

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii20-iii26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebiowei S F Orubu ◽  
Faith O Robert ◽  
Mercy Samuel ◽  
Daniel Megbule

Abstract Policies to improve access to medicines for children in low- and middle-income countries, such as Nigeria, should consider the growing threat of non-communicable diseases. The aim of this pilot study was to scope availability, price and affordability of essential cardiovascular medicines for children in selected states in Nigeria. The study was a descriptive longitudinal survey conducted in three phases. Availability was determined as percentage of facilities having the medicine on the survey date. Medicines with good availability (>80%) were noted. Prices were cross-referenced against international Reference Prices and the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme Prices. Affordability was calculated using the Least-Paid Government Worker method. For medicines compounded to improve availability, a model for calculating affordability was proposed. In Phase I, the availability of all 17 strengths of the cardiovascular medicines or diuretics listed in the Essential Medicines List for Children (2015) were surveyed in two conveniently selected states using the WHO/HAI questionnaire. Data were collected from 17 hospitals and pharmacies. Phases II and III focused on tablet formulations (enalapril, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide and spironolactone) in three purposively selected state capitals: Lagos, Abuja and Yenagoa. In Phase II, 11 private pharmacies were surveyed in December 2016: Phase III tracked price changes in Abuja and Yenagoa in August 2018. Only furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide tablets had good availability. Oral liquids were unavailable. Prices for four generic oral tablets were 2–16× higher than the International Reference Prices; prices for two of these did not change significantly over the study period. Affordable medicines were generic furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide tablet. Where a fee is charged, compounded medicines were also not affordable. While the small sample sizes limit generalization, this study provides indicative data suggesting that prices for cardiovascular medicines remain high and potentially unaffordable in the private sector in these selected states, and when compounded. Regular systematic access surveys are needed.


Pharmacy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ongarora ◽  
Karumbi ◽  
Minnaard ◽  
Abuga ◽  
Okungu ◽  
...  

Medicine prices are a major determinant of access to healthcare. Owing to low availability of medicines in the public health facilities and poor accessibility to these facilities, most low-income residents pay out-of-pocket for health services and transport to the private health facilities. In low-income settlements, high retail prices are likely to push the population further into poverty and ill health. This study assessed the retail pricing, availability, and affordability of medicines in private health facilities in low-income settlements within Nairobi County. Medicine prices and availability data were collected between September and December 2016 at 45 private healthcare facilities in 14 of Nairobi’s low-income settlements using electronic questionnaires. The International Medical Products Price Guide provided international medicine reference prices for comparison. Affordability and availability proxies were calculated according to existing methods. Innovator brands were 13.8 times more expensive than generic brands. The lowest priced generics and innovator brands were, on average, sold at 2.9 and 32.6 times the median international reference prices of corresponding medicines. Assuming a 100% disposable income, it would take 0.03 to 1.33 days’ wages for the lowest paid government employee to pay for treatment courses of selected single generic medicines. Medicine availability in the facilities ranged between 2% and 76% (mean 43%) for indicator medicines. Prices of selected medicines varied within the 14 study regions. Retail medicine prices in the low-income settlements studied were generally higher than corresponding international reference prices. Price variations were observed across different regions although the regions comprise similar socioeconomic populations. These factors are likely to impact negatively on healthcare access.


2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-263
Author(s):  
C M Razzakova ◽  
L E Ziganshina

Aim. To conduct a comparative analysis of medicine prices in 2017 and 2018 years in Kazan (The Republic of Tatarstan, The Russian Federation) to assess the effectiveness of government measures to ensure the accessibility of medicines. Methods. We conducted a comparative analysis of medicine prices according to methodology developed by Health Action International and World Health Organization (WHO/HAI). The analysis included 30 medicines at a preselected dosage form. We studied the accessibility and prices of original brands and lowest priced generic of each medicine in the public and private pharmacies of Kazan in 2017 and 2018, and analyzed the procurement prices of the same medicines in inpatient hospitals. Medicine prices were compared with international reference prices (The Management Sciences for Health (MSH) reference prices) and expressed as median price ratio (MPR). Results. Prices for originator and generic medicines in the public and private sectors tended to decrease in 2018 compared to 2017, but statistically significant price reduction occurred only for generic medicines in the private sector. For example, the median price ratio for originator products changed from 6.86 to 2.97 in the public sector and from 11.1 to 5.36 in the private sector in 2018 compared to 2017, but the changes were not statistically significant (p 0.05). Prices for generics medicines in the public sector did not change in the studied years and remained at the level of international reference prices (the median price ratio were 1.3 in 2017 and 1.27 in 2018). In the private sector, we found a twofold decrease in the prices of generics medicines in 2018 compared to 2017 [the median price ratio decreased from 3.25 to 1.44 (p 0.05)]. Procurement prices for generics medicines in public hospitals in 2017 and 2018 years did not show statistically significant changes with the median price ratio equal to 1.34 and 0.8, respectively. Conclusion. Government price control measures of medicines contributed to maintaining the price of generic medicines at the reference prices level in the public sector and to halving the price of generic medicines in the private sector in 2018 compared to 2017.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1551
Author(s):  
Zihuai Guo ◽  
Yibin Yao ◽  
Jian Kong ◽  
Gang Chen ◽  
Chen Zhou ◽  
...  

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) can provide dual-frequency observation data, which can be used to effectively calculate total electron content (TEC). Numerical studies have utilized GNSS-derived TEC to evaluate the accuracy of ionospheric empirical models, such as the International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI) and the NeQuick model. However, most studies have evaluated vertical TEC rather than slant TEC (STEC), which resulted in the introduction of projection error. Furthermore, since there are few GNSS observation stations available in the Antarctic region and most are concentrated in the Antarctic continent edge, it is difficult to evaluate modeling accuracy within the entire Antarctic range. Considering these problems, in this study, GNSS STEC was calculated using dual-frequency observation data from stations that almost covered the Antarctic continent. By comparison with GNSS STEC, the accuracy of IRI-2016 and NeQuick2 at different latitudes and different solar radiation was evaluated during 2016–2017. The numerical results showed the following. (1) Both IRI-2016 and NeQuick2 underestimated the STEC. Since IRI-2016 utilizes new models to represent the F2-peak height (hmF2) directly, the IRI-2016 STEC is closer to GNSS STEC than NeQuick2. This conclusion was also confirmed by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) occultation data. (2) The differences in STEC of the two models are both normally distributed, and the NeQuick2 STEC is systematically biased as solar radiation increases. (3) The root mean square error (RMSE) of the IRI-2016 STEC is smaller than that of the NeQuick2 model, and the RMSE of the two modeling STEC increases with solar radiation intensity. Since IRI-2016 relies on new hmF2 models, it is more stable than NeQuick2.


2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szilvia Mészáros ◽  
Péter Berkő ◽  
György Genti ◽  
Éva Hosszú ◽  
Béla Keszthelyi ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter De Maeyer ◽  
Hooman Estelami
Keyword(s):  

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