| Autor: |
Homaira N; Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.; Respiratory Department, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney 2031, Australia., Daniels B; Medicines Policy Research Unit, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Sydney 2052, Australia., Pearson S; Medicines Policy Research Unit, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Sydney 2052, Australia., Jaffe A; Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.; Respiratory Department, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney 2031, Australia. |
| Abstrakt: |
The Australian Asthma Handbook does not recommend use of fixed dose combination (FDC) controller medicines for asthma in children aged ≤5 years. FDCs are only recommended in children and adolescents (aged 6-18 years) not responding to initial inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy. Using Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme dispensing claims from 2013-2018, we examined the annual incident FDC dispensing and the incident FDC dispensing without prior ICS up to 365 days. We also determined cost of FDCs to government and patients. During 2013-2018, there were 35,635 FDC initiations and 31,368 (88%) did not have a preceding ICS dispensing. The annual incidence of FDC dispensing declined from 14.7 to 7.2/1000 children. Incidence of FDC dispensing/1000 children without a preceding ICS declined from 2.1 to 0.5 in children aged 1-2 years, 7.2 to 1.7 in 3-5 years, 14.8 to 5.1 in 6-11 years, and 18.6 to 11.9 in ≥12years. The cost of FDCs was 7.8 million Australian dollars (AUD); of which 4.4 million AUD was to government and 3.3 million AUD was to patient. Despite inappropriate dispensing of FDCs in children aged ≤5 years, incidence of FDC dispensing and more importantly incidence without a preceding ICS is declining in Australia. |
