Psychiatria pre prax 5/2006

CONSUMPTION OF ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN SLOVAKIA OVER THE PERIOD 1996 – 2005

Antidepressants (ATC group N06A) have been one of the fastest growing groups in the whole pharmaceutical market over the last ten years. This increase is visible in all areas, i.e. as regards the number of agents (molecules), the number of individual brands, the number of prescribed packs and defined daily doses (DDD), the amount of money paid for them and the number of companies selling them. The highest increase is visible in the number of DDD – more than sixfold. While the increase in the number of DDD is linear over the whole time period, expenses for antidepressants (in SKK) stabilized in 2001 and since that time no increase has been observed. The explanation is the continual decrease in the price per DDD. Between 2000 and 2005 the price halved. Provisions of the Ministry for Health Care in 2003 did not cause substantial changes in the representation of individual molecules which would indicate a strong connection between properties of active substances and a specific type of illness. A regional comparison of the consumption of antidepressants indicates that for the (pharmacological) treatment of depression, accessibility to treatment is more important than the prevalence of depression in the region, or the relative wealth of a region. Comparison with other countries in the region indicates that the linear increase of the consumption of antidepressants (in DDD) will continue in the future, and this increase will neither stop nor decrease even after reaching a consumption level several times higher than the current level. On the other hand, also the development of the average price per DDD will continue in the trend from previous years. The price decrease should compensate fully the increase of the consumption. It means that the expenses for antidepressants shall remain stable, at least for the next two years.

Keywords: Antidepressants. Consumption.