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[Saint John's Wort as an antidepressant].

Although in Germany St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is the most widely prescribed antidepressant, in the Netherlands little is known about it. Nevertheless patients ask for it more often or take it as self-medication. There has been much research into the antidepressant efficacy of hypericum extracts, but the methodological quality has been moderate. In recent years studies with a much better design were published in European journals. Hypericum extract in a dosage of 900 mg/day is effective in mild to moderately severe depressed outpatients. Maintenance therapy has not been studied sufficiently yet. The side effect profile is on a placebo level. Recently interactions with other medications were described (decrease of plasma level/clinical efficacy of protease inhibitors, warfarin, theophyllin, cyclosporin, third generation oral contraconceptives, digoxin and phenprocoumon). A patient's request to be treated with hypericum extract can be considered, e.g. if the patient experiences troublesome side effects on other drugs. In case hypericum is the initial antidepressant and the effect falls short of the expectations, treatment with a synthetic standard antidepressant should be applied.

Antidepressive Agents↗

Managing drug costs: the perception of managed care pharmacy directors.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the perceptions of health plan pharmacy directors about drug costs and utilization drivers, interventions the plans use to control drug expenditures, and strategies considered necessary to permit continued provision of a comprehensive drug benefit. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: A multipart survey developed and mailed to 500 pharmacy directors of managed care organizations across the country. RESULTS: The survey respondents (response rate = 18%) represented managed care health plans in the following percentages: 49% of respondents were from network/independent practice associations; mixed-model health maintenance organizations (HMOs), 20%; group HMOs, 15%; and staff-model HMOs and network/preferred provider organizations, 8% each. Drug mix and utilization were reported to be the primary drivers of drug expenditures. Half the respondents rated inflation as a somewhat strong cost driver. Interventions the health plans use to control drug expenditures include formularies, generic substitution, preauthorization, manufacturers' rebates, drug benefit design, physician profiling, target drug programs, academic detailing, and tiered copays. With the exception of formulary use, generic substitution, and manufacturers' rebates, which all the plans have instituted, the types of interventions used by the different model types vary widely. More than half the pharmacy directors reported generic substitution, drug benefit design, and differential copays as very effective interventions used to control drug costs. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of pharmacy directors predict continued double-digit increases in drug expenditures over both the short term and the long term. Of the respondents, 91% reported that additional limits and/or exclusions to the benefit design would be necessary to control these increases. To continue providing a comprehensive drug benefit, 54% indicated that they would have to achieve sufficient cost savings in other areas to offset increases in drug costs.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Prescribing. Formulary won.

A primary care group and hospital trust produced a joint drug formulary in 10 months. All consultants and GPs were invited to take part in the exercise and a working group of 25 GPs, nine consultants and six pharmacists was established. The formulary includes local and national guidelines, usual adult doses of drugs and the cost of 28 days' primary care supply. An electronic version is in the pipeline.

Cooperative Behavior↗

The management of depression: the implications for managed care--roundtable discussion: Part 2.

One of the most commonly utilized drug classes today is antidepressant therapy, which accounts for billions of dollars in spending. Pharmacoeconomic tools may play an influential role in formulary decision making, particularly in this drug class. In part 2 of the roundtable discussion, a pharmacoeconomic model is presented that may clarify the health economic effects of placing serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors on the drug formulary, particularly in the context of other antidepressant medications.

Antidepressive Agents↗

The management of depression: the implications for managed care--roundtable discussion: Part 3.

From the standpoint of managed care, the rising cost of depression can be addressed in multiple ways. In the final portion of the roundtable discussion, the faculty discuss not only disease management programs for depression, but other initiatives health plans (including at the pharmacy level) are undertaking to address the rising costs associated with depression. They also discuss the effect of mental health coverage "parity" laws, which can be expected to drive costs even higher.

Antidepressive Agents↗

Roundtable discussion: Part III--Hypertension management in health plans.

In the final section of the roundtable discussion, participants describe how their individual managed care plans approach hypertension from the standpoints of disease management targeting, strategies to combat noncompliance, and how these plans utilize pharmacoeconomic information in drug formulary decision making.

Antihypertensive Agents↗