Anna A. Theodorou, RPh, MBA

An overview of the utilization and cost for selected oral antineoplastic agents, with discussion regarding oncology in general, as well as the topic of adherence.

New and forthcoming oral anticoagulants, which do not require prothrombin time monitoring, will offer patients and providers additional therapeutic options.

Incivek and Victrelis, approved for Hepatitis C within weeks of each other in May 2011, look to change the way the disease is treated.

Uptake of the new oral agents gilenya and Ampyra may be expected to increase rapidly in the future, if for largely different reasons.

Approvals of potential blockbuster drugs represent a new source of revenue for pharmaceutical manufacturers, who will experience significant income loss from generic competition in 2011-2012.

Significant factors for 2011 prescription utilization include the recession, change in employment rate, new generic and brand launches, and changes in Baby Boomers' retirement plans.

The major impact on price trend was double-digit price increases in top brand drugs, offset by price erosion for both old and new generics.

By 2012, we estimate that more than 3 of every 4 prescriptions will be filled with a generic drug.

The antihyperglycemic therapeutic class will continue to be a major contributor to prescription drug trends in 2011 and beyond.

Specialty drugs are a significant cost trend driver for the majority of plan sponsors.

Increased generic substitution is projected to erode prices and outpace class utilization growth for proton pump inhibitors in 2010.

This retrospective study of 558.9 million prescription claims explores how member age demographics affect prescription drug trends and provides top therapeutic classes by generation.

The dispensing rate for generic statins is expected to rise slowly due to increased volumes of simvastatin and pravastatin sodium moderated by increased Crestor volumes.

Increases in the number of cancer cases being diagnosed and treated likely will drive cost trends for antineoplastic enzyme inhibitors.

Future costs of MS therapy are likely to increase due to new add-on therapy combined with double-digit growth in utilization for existing drugs.

The proportion of Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is projected to increase almost 2-fold over the next couple of decades due to size of the Baby Boom generation compared with the total US population.

The increase in generic medications, changes in utilization patterns, and the significant decrease in the approval of new molecular entities have slowed 2008 pharmacy trends to historically low levels.

Although utilization of benzodiazepines is expected to continue to increase, overall class costs should remain low because of the availability of generics.

Part 1 of this 2-part overview of prescription drug trend focuses on important therapeutic classes for all generations.