Background: 

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder requiring lifelong treatment. There are a large number of anti-diabetic drugs available in the Indian market. The cost of drugs plays an important role in patient’s care, warranting the need for all physicians to keep themselves updated with the latest prices and price variation of various brands of anti-diabetic drugs.

Materials and Methods: Cost of oral anti-diabetic drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies in the same strength and dosage forms was obtained from “Current Index of Medical Specialties” (CIMS) April- July 2019 and Indian Drug Review Vol. XXV – Issue 3 2019. The percentage price variation and cost ratio were calculated.

Results: 

The cost of 12 drugs in single therapy and 10 drugs in combination therapy were evaluated for percentage price variation. For single and combination therapy, a total of 68 different formulations manufactured by various companies were available. In sulfonylurea group of drugs, maximum price variation of 1366% was seen in Glimepiride 1mg and minimum price variation of 17% was seen in Glipizide 2.5mg. In non-sulfonylurea group of drugs, a maximum variation of 809% was seen in Metformin 500mg, followed by Voglibose 0.3mg 793% and a minimum variation of 10% in Acarbose 100mg. Among the fixed dose combination therapy, the highest price variation of 555% was seen in Glimepiride 2mg + Metformin 500mg shows and the least price variation of 8% was seen in Pioglitazone 7.5mg + Metformin 500mg combinations. 

Conclusion: 

Our study showed that there is a high price variation for oral anti-diabetic drugs by different brands available in the Indian market. Since diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness, cost of the drug plays an important role in compliance to the treatment regimen. It is necessary to bring awareness among the physicians, pharmaceutical companies and the regulatory bodies regarding this wide variation in prices, such that the drug costs can be reduced and made more affordable to the common man.