Cost analysis of the antibiotics prescription in the paediatric population of Castilla y León

Objectives: to analyze the pharmaceutical costs derived of antibiotic prescription in the paediatric population of Castilla and Leon during the years 2001-2005.

Material and methods: the data of non-hospital antibiotic cost and consumption comes from the database that processes all antibiotics billed in the Health Service of Castilla and Leon. The consumption indicator was the daily dose defined per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID). The cost was expressed using two indicators: euros per 1,000 inhabitants per day and euros per defined daily dose.

Results: the annual average cost was 28 euros/1,000 inhabitants/day. There was a descendent tendency of the cost, only broken in 2003 by a greater antibiotic consumption. This cost was concentrated in four sub-groups (sequence decreasing): penicillins associated to betalactamase inhibitors, cephalosporines, macrolides and wide spectrum penicillins. The contribution to the global cost of each active principle was variable, emphasizing two facts: the elevated price in the market of the azitromicine (3.74 euros/DDD) and the almost generalized reduction of prices especially in 2005.

Conclusions: we observed a reduction of the pharmaceutical cost throught the period of study, with the lowest cost in 2005, due to the pharmaceutical policy, to the explosive growth of the generic prescriptions and to the saving awareness of the sanitary professionals and users.

Keywords: Cost analysis. Primary care. Antibiotics.