@article{Naoum2021-xa,
title = {Self-medication in Greece: the financial impact from expanding
the OTC market},
author = {Vasiliki Naoum and Nikos Nomikos and Panagiota Naoum and Kostas Athanasakis and John Kyriopoulos},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-12-01},
journal = {Int J Pharm Pract},
volume = {29},
number = {6},
pages = {541--547},
address = {England},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: To assess the financial impact of self-medication
enhancement through a potential expansion of the over-the-counter
(OTC) drug list in Greece. METHODS: An analysis consisting of two
scenarios was conducted. The first scenario estimated the
financial effects of hypothetically switching 5% of the volume
of the total sales of reimbursed drugs in Greece to OTC, while
the second scenario estimated the effects of switching to OTC the
total sales volume of a set of active substances (which are
currently reimbursed), facilitated by a consensus panel meeting.
The analysis was conducted from the third-party payer, individual
and societal perspectives. Data and costs refer to the year 2019.
KEY FINDINGS: Switching 5% of the volume of the total sales of
reimbursed drugs to OTC was estimated to lead to total annual
savings of 227.57 million euros. The annual savings from the
third-party payer, individual and societal perspectives were
estimated at 97.06 million euros, 91.81 million euros and 38.69
million euros, respectively. Switching the total sales volume of
the reimbursed drugs of the active substances which emerged from
the consensus panel meeting was estimated to lead to total annual
savings of 567.57 million euros. The annual savings for the
third-party payer, individuals and society were estimated at
232.91 million euros, 241.01 million euros and 93.65 million
euros, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although the present analysis
is model-based, and thus did not incorporate some potentially
significant parameters, it demonstrated the financial savings
which a potential expansion of the OTC drug list could produce
for the third-party payer, individuals and society in Greece.},
keywords = {OTC; financial effects; self-medication; switch},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
OBJECTIVES: To assess the financial impact of self-medication
enhancement through a potential expansion of the over-the-counter
(OTC) drug list in Greece. METHODS: An analysis consisting of two
scenarios was conducted. The first scenario estimated the
financial effects of hypothetically switching 5% of the volume
of the total sales of reimbursed drugs in Greece to OTC, while
the second scenario estimated the effects of switching to OTC the
total sales volume of a set of active substances (which are
currently reimbursed), facilitated by a consensus panel meeting.
The analysis was conducted from the third-party payer, individual
and societal perspectives. Data and costs refer to the year 2019.
KEY FINDINGS: Switching 5% of the volume of the total sales of
reimbursed drugs to OTC was estimated to lead to total annual
savings of 227.57 million euros. The annual savings from the
third-party payer, individual and societal perspectives were
estimated at 97.06 million euros, 91.81 million euros and 38.69
million euros, respectively. Switching the total sales volume of
the reimbursed drugs of the active substances which emerged from
the consensus panel meeting was estimated to lead to total annual
savings of 567.57 million euros. The annual savings for the
third-party payer, individuals and society were estimated at
232.91 million euros, 241.01 million euros and 93.65 million
euros, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although the present analysis
is model-based, and thus did not incorporate some potentially
significant parameters, it demonstrated the financial savings
which a potential expansion of the OTC drug list could produce
for the third-party payer, individuals and society in Greece.