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Pharma Industry Finland

Productivity of pharmaceuticals in society: Research disease-specific approach

The research investigates the benefits of pharmaceutical development to society. The research employs a disease-specific approach, in which the longitudinal effects of changes in medicine-related care practices (new medications, new ways of using medications and new ways of applying medication) to cost are identified. In the analysis, both direct costs (pharmaceuticals, cost of healthcare, sick-leave pay and work-related disability pensions) and indirect costs (lost productivity due to inability to work) to society are included in order to build a cohesive picture of the total economic impact.

Major diseases with national economic impacts assume first priority in the research. Two studies on rheumatoid arthritis and schizophrenia have already been conducted. Upcoming research topics include biological pharmaceuticals, asthma and breast cancer. New research topics are sought constantly.

The research has taken place in Finland and combines knowledge and data from The National Research and Development Center for Welfare and Health and its publications, SLD pharmaceutical sales data, The Finnish Bureau of Statistics, The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, The Local Government Pensions Institutions and academic journal articles and expert interviews.

The results indicate that healthcare costs constitute only a fraction of the total cost. In rheumatoid arthritis, all healthcare costs (including medication and healthcare, only constitute a third of the total cost. In schizophrenia, health costs also constitute 30% of all healthcare costs. In both diseases, the role of medication related development in care practices has produced significant cost savings. Comparing 1987 with 2004, medication related care practice development produced roughly estimated an annual cost saving of 50-400 MEUR. That is about 20-30% of total costs.

Future research avenues include combining bottom-up and top-down approaches, strengthening the process orientation in understanding costs, developing the cost understanding into a more refined return-on-investment model, international comparative studies and lobbying for the increased availability and quality of related statistical data.