IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/hepoli/v134y2023ics0168851022000598.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A critical review of methodologies used in pharmaceutical pricing policy analyses

Author

Listed:
  • Joosse, Iris R.
  • Tordrup, David
  • Bero, Lisa
  • Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K.
  • van den Ham, Hendrika A.

Abstract

Robust evidence from health policy research has the potential to inform policy-making, but studies have suggested that methodological shortcomings are abundant. We aimed to identify common methodological weaknesses in pharmaceutical pricing policy analyses. A systematic review (SR) of studies examining pharmaceutical pricing policies served as basis for the present analysis. We selected all studies that were included in the SR (n = 56), and those that were excluded from the SR due to ineligible study designs only (n = 101). Risk of bias was assessed and specific study design issues were recorded to identify recurrent methodological issues. Sixty-one percent of studies with a study design eligible for the SR presented with a high risk of bias in at least one domain. Potential interference of co-interventions was a source of possible bias in 53% of interrupted time series studies. Failing to consider potential confounders was the primary cause for potential bias in difference-in-differences, regression, and panel data analyses. In 101 studies with a study design not eligible for the SR, 32% were uncontrolled before-after studies and 23% were studies without pre-intervention data. Some of the methodological issues encountered may be resolved during the design of a study. Awareness among researchers on methodological issues will help improve the rigor of health policy research in general.

Suggested Citation

  • Joosse, Iris R. & Tordrup, David & Bero, Lisa & Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K. & van den Ham, Hendrika A., 2023. "A critical review of methodologies used in pharmaceutical pricing policy analyses," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:134:y:2023:i:c:s0168851022000598
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2022.03.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851022000598
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.healthpol.2022.03.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tom Stargardt, 2010. "The impact of reference pricing on switching behaviour and healthcare utilisation: the case of statins in Germany," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 11(3), pages 267-277, June.
    2. Michael R Law & Alison Ystma & Steven G Morgan, 2011. "The Short-Term Impact of Ontario's Generic Pricing Reforms," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-4, July.
    3. Kaiser, Ulrich & Mendez, Susan J. & Rønde, Thomas & Ullrich, Hannes, 2014. "Regulation of pharmaceutical prices: Evidence from a reference price reform in Denmark," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 174-187.
    4. Kathryn Oliver & Warren Pearce, 2017. "Three lessons from evidence-based medicine and policy: increase transparency, balance inputs and understand power," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(1), pages 1-7, December.
    5. Omer Ben-Aharon & Oren Shavit & Racheli Magnezi, 2017. "Does drug price-regulation affect healthcare expenditures?," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 18(7), pages 859-867, September.
    6. Simone Ghislandi & Patrizio Armeni & Claudio Jommi, 2013. "The impact of generic reference pricing in Italy, a decade on," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(6), pages 959-969, December.
    7. Rajatheran Moodley & Fatima Suleman, 2019. "The impact of the single exit price policy on a basket of generic medicines in South Africa, using a time series analysis from 1999 to 2014," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Puig-Junoy, Jaume, 2007. "The impact of generic reference pricing interventions in the statin market," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 14-29, November.
    9. Howard White & Shagun Sabarwal & Thomas de Hoop, 2014. "Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): Methodological Briefs - Impact Evaluation No. 7," Papers innpub752, Methodological Briefs.
    10. Sylvie Bastuji-Garin & Emilie Sbidian & Caroline Gaudy-Marqueste & Emilie Ferrat & Jean-Claude Roujeau & Marie-Aleth Richard & Florence Canoui-Poitrine & on behalf of the European Dermatology Network , 2013. "Impact of STROBE Statement Publication on Quality of Observational Study Reporting: Interrupted Time Series versus Before-After Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-8, August.
    11. Kwon, Hye-Young & Bae, Seungjin & Choi, Sang-eun & Park, Sylvia & Lee, Eui-Kyung & Park, Sungmin & Kim, Jinhyun, 2019. "Easy cuts, easy rebound: Drug expenditures with massive price cuts in Korea," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(4), pages 388-392.
    12. Xiu-xia, Li & Ya, Zheng & Yao-long, Chen & Ke-hu, Yang & Zong-jiu, Zhang, 2015. "The reporting characteristics and methodological quality of Cochrane reviews about health policy research," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(4), pages 503-510.
    13. Binzhen Wu & Qiong Zhang & Xue Qiao, 2015. "Effects of pharmaceutical price regulation: China's evidence between 1997 and 2008," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 290-329, April.
    14. Simona Baldi & Davide Vannoni, 2017. "The impact of centralization on pharmaceutical procurement prices: the role of institutional quality and corruption," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(3), pages 426-438, March.
    15. Fritz von der Schulenburg & Sotiris Vandoros & Panos Kanavos, 2011. "The effects of drug market regulation on pharmaceutical prices in Europe: overview and evidence from the market of ACE inhibitors," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-8, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eduardo Costa & Carolina Santos, 2022. "Pharmaceutical pricing dynamics in an internal reference pricing system: evidence from changing drugs’ reimbursements," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(9), pages 1497-1518, December.
    2. Herr, A. & Suppliet, M., 2011. "Co-Payment Exemptions and Reference Prices: an Empirical Study of Pharmaceutical Prices in Germany," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 11/18, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    3. Dominik J. Wettstein & Stefan Boes, 2019. "Effectiveness of National Pricing Policies for Patent-Protected Pharmaceuticals in the OECD: A Systematic Literature Review," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 143-162, April.
    4. Mats A. Bergman & David Granlund & Niklas Rudholm, 2016. "Reforming the Swedish pharmaceuticals market: consequences for costs per defined daily dose," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 201-214, September.
    5. Toon van der Gronde & Carin A Uyl-de Groot & Toine Pieters, 2017. "Addressing the challenge of high-priced prescription drugs in the era of precision medicine: A systematic review of drug life cycles, therapeutic drug markets and regulatory frameworks," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-34, August.
    6. Ivan Moreno-Torres, 2011. "Generic drugs in Spain: price competition vs. moral hazard," Working Papers XREAP2011-04, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised May 2011.
    7. Koenig, Pamina & MacGarvie, Megan, 2011. "Regulatory policy and the location of bio-pharmaceutical foreign direct investment in Europe," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 950-965.
    8. Ivan Moreno-Torres, 2011. "What if there was a stronger pharmaceutical price competition in Spain? When regulation has a similar effect to collusion," Working Papers XREAP2011-02, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised May 2011.
    9. David Granlund & Miyase Koksal-Ayhan, 2015. "Parallel imports and a mandatory substitution reform: a kick or a muff for price competition in pharmaceuticals?," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(9), pages 969-983, December.
    10. Kaiser, Ulrich & Méndez, Susan J., 2015. "How Do Drug Prices Respond to a Change from External to Internal Reference Pricing? Evidence from a Danish Regulatory Reform," IZA Discussion Papers 8759, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Matteo Galizzi & Simone Ghislandi & Marisa Miraldo, 2011. "Effects of Reference Pricing in Pharmaceutical Markets," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 17-33, January.
    12. Carone, Giuseppe & Schwierz, Christoph & Xavier, Ana, 2012. "Cost-containment policies in public pharmaceutical spending in the EU," MPRA Paper 42008, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Nika Marđetko & Mitja Kos, 2018. "Introduction of therapeutic reference pricing in Slovenia and its economic consequences," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 19(4), pages 571-584, May.
    14. Gregory J. Critchley & Gregory S. Zaric, 2019. "The impact of pharmaceutical marketing on market access, treatment coverage, pricing, and social welfare," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(8), pages 1035-1051, August.
    15. Bardey, David & Harker, Arturo & Zuluaga, Daniela, 2021. "Price cap regulation in the Colombian pharmaceutical market: An impact evaluation," TSE Working Papers 21-1195, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    16. Tomaso Duso & Annika Herr & Moritz Suppliet, 2014. "The Welfare Impact Of Parallel Imports: A Structural Approach Applied To The German Market For Oral Anti‐Diabetics," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(9), pages 1036-1057, September.
    17. Timothy T. Brown & James C. Robinson, 2016. "Reference Pricing with Endogenous or Exogenous Payment Limits: Impacts on Insurer and Consumer Spending," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(6), pages 740-749, June.
    18. J. M. C. Santos Silva & Silvana Tenreyro, 2022. "The Log of Gravity at 15," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 21(3), pages 423-437, September.
    19. Adrian Towse & Michele Pistollato & Jorge Mestre-Ferrandiz & Zeba Khan & Satyin Kaura & Louis Garrison, 2015. "European Union Pharmaceutical Markets: A Case for Differential Pricing?," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 263-275, July.
    20. Kathryn Oliver & Annette Boaz, 2019. "Transforming evidence for policy and practice: creating space for new conversations," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:134:y:2023:i:c:s0168851022000598. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu or the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/healthpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.