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Subject Area

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy

Abstract

Background: A sizable portion of each nation's overall healthcare costs is being spent on pharmaceutical products. Hence, alternative and competing healthcare strategies or multiple brands of a specific prescription must be prioritized, especially in the case of chronic illnesses for countries with limited resources. That is why we conducted this analysis to start a series of cost variation analyses to help decision-makers, healthcare insurers, and even physicians to be well-informed and aware of the cost variation of available treatment options for optimal selection of the most convenient alternative. Objective: This analysis was conducted to determine the cost variation among levothyroxine options for hypothyroidism treatment currently available in the Egyptian market. Methodology: Ten alternatives of levothyroxine (25, 50, 100 mcg) were identified, and the corresponding prices were derived from the Egyptian Drug Authority Database. Different cost analyses were conducted through Microsoft Excel software. Results: The maximum retail cost per tablet that was observed in the branded levothyroxine 100 mcg is 0.70 EGP, while the minimum retail cost per tablet that was observed in levothyroxine 100 mcg generic medications is 0.11 EGP. The maximum cost ratio was observed between levothyroxine 100 mcg medications and was estimated at 6.364. The highest percent cost variation of 536.36% was noticed in levothyroxine 100 mcg medications compared to the percent cost variation of levothyroxine 50 mcg medications. The generic alternatives of levothyroxine 50 mcg have recorded a cost variation of 0%. Conclusion: There is a wide variation in pricing amongst generic levothyroxine in both concentrations compared to branded levothyroxine.

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