Abstract
Introduction: Drugs are the largest component of the health care costs associated with asthma and allergies in Finland and have increased from 2000 to 2010.
Aims and objectives: We studied changes in asthma and allergy drug consumption in the time period from 2008 to 2013 during the Finnish Allergy Program.
Methods: The data are based on drug sales statistics of the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea.
Results: The consumption of antihistamines (+21%) and asthma drugs (+14%) continues to increase until 2013. The consumption of inhaled corticosteroids (+25%) and montelukast (+24 %) have increased more than of short-acting B2-agonists (+13%) and combination drugs (7%), which may be a result of the recommendations by the Finnish Allergy Program. The costs of allergen-specific immunotherapy increased by 74%, still being only a minimal fraction (2%) of the total costs. Consumption of over the counter (OTC) medicines in outpatient care increased by 48% and costs by 24% due to the increased use of antihistamines in outpatient care.
Conclusions: The steady growth in the consumption of inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast is likely to reflect increasing number of asthma patients. However, the emphasis of drug cost growth is on the controller medications for asthma and antihistamines. This is in accordance with the Finnish Allergy Program which has a focus in the more severe asthma and allergen tolerance.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016