Researchers from CVS Caremark, Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital looked at pharmacy claims of 254,000 patients who were newly started on a diabetes medication from Jan. 1, 2006 to Dec. 31, 2008. The research found more than a third of initial treatment regimens for diabetes did not include the ADA’s recommended first-line drug, which is a generic.
The results also showed those being treated with generics spent an average of $116.10 over six months, compared to $677.20 for more expensive therapies. That is a difference of $560 per patient for six months, or $1,120 per patient per year.
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