Cost of Medications Recommended by Canadian Acne Clinical Practice Guidelines

Tiffany Czilli; Jerry Tan; Sanja Knezevic; Colin Peters

doi:10.1177/1203475416653735

Cost of Medications Recommended by Canadian Acne Clinical Practice Guidelines

J Cutan Med Surg. 2016 Nov;20(6):542-545. doi: 10.1177/1203475416653735. Epub 2016 Jun 8.

Authors

Tiffany Czilli¹, Jerry Tan^{2

3}, Sanja Knezevic⁴, Colin Peters⁵

Affiliations

¹ Private practice, Family Medicine, Windsor, ON, Canada.
² Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Windsor Campus, University of Western Ontario, Windsor, ON, Canada jerrytan@wcri.ca.
³ Windsor Clinical Research, Ontario, Windsor, ON, Canada.
⁴ Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Windsor Campus, University of Western Ontario, Windsor, ON, Canada.
⁵ Independent pharmacist, Wellington Apothecary, Windsor, ON, Canada.

PMID: 27281440
DOI: 10.1177/1203475416653735

Abstract

Background: Acne affects a large proportion of the Canadian population and has psychosocial and financial consequences.

Objective: We provide cost information for treatments recommended by the Canadian acne guidelines.

Methods: Highest level recommendations were selected for 3-month usage cost.

Results: Three-month estimated treatment costs were as follows: topical retinoids ($14.40-$73.80), benzoyl peroxide (BPO; $6.75), fixed-dose BPO-clindamycin ($40.95-$44.10) and BPO-adapalene ($73.80), oral antibiotics ($25.20 for tetracycline 250 mg qid; $52.20 and $52.74 for doxycycline 50 mg bid and 100 mg od, respectively), and hormonal therapy ($26.46-$37.80 for ethinyl estradiol [EE] 0.030 mg/drospirenone 3mg and $75.60-108.99 for EE 0.035 mg/cyproterone acetate 2 mg). Oral isotretinoin 3-month costs ranged from $393.96 to $478.80.

Conclusions: Awareness of costs of recommended treatments may facilitate improved outcomes by increasing procurement and adherence.

Keywords: Canadian; Canadian acne guidelines; acne; cost; cost information; dermatology; drugs; guidelines; medications; recommendations; therapies.

MeSH terms

Acne Vulgaris / drug therapy*
Acne Vulgaris / economics*
Adapalene / economics
Administration, Cutaneous
Administration, Oral
Androgen Antagonists / economics
Androstenes / economics
Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
Anti-Bacterial Agents / economics*
Benzoyl Peroxide / economics*
Canada
Clindamycin / administration & dosage
Clindamycin / economics
Cyproterone Acetate / economics
Dermatologic Agents / economics*
Doxycycline / administration & dosage
Doxycycline / economics
Drug Combinations
Estrogens / economics
Ethinyl Estradiol / economics
Humans
Isotretinoin / administration & dosage
Isotretinoin / economics
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / economics
Minocycline / administration & dosage
Minocycline / economics
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Severity of Illness Index
Tetracycline / administration & dosage
Tetracycline / economics

Substances

Androgen Antagonists
Androstenes
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Dermatologic Agents
Drug Combinations
Estrogens
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists
Adapalene
Clindamycin
Ethinyl Estradiol
Cyproterone Acetate
Isotretinoin
Tetracycline
Minocycline
Doxycycline
drospirenone
Benzoyl Peroxide