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Consumer Information and Pharmaceutical Prices: Theory and Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Granlund, David

    (Department of Economics)

  • Rudholm, Niklas

    (The Swedish Retail Institute (HUI))

Abstract

In this paper, the impact of increased information on brand name and generic pharmaceutical prices is analyzed both theoretically and empirically. The theoretical results show that an increase in information is likely to reduce the price of brand name pharmaceuticals, while the results regarding generics are less clear. In the empirical part of the paper, the introduction of the substitution reform in the Swedish pharmaceuticals market in October 2002 is used as a natural experiment regarding the effects of increased consumer information on pharmaceutical prices. The results clearly show that the reform has lowered the price of both brand name- and generic pharmaceuticals.

Suggested Citation

  • Granlund, David & Rudholm, Niklas, 2007. "Consumer Information and Pharmaceutical Prices: Theory and Evidence," HUI Working Papers 8, HUI Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:huiwps:0008
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Steven Salop & Joseph Stiglitz, 1977. "Bargains and Ripoffs: A Model of Monopolistically Competitive Price Dispersion," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 44(3), pages 493-510.
    2. Hurwitz, Mark A & Caves, Richard E, 1988. "Persuasion or Information? Promotion and the Shares of Brand Name and Generic Pharmaceuticals," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(2), pages 299-320, October.
    3. Diamond, Peter A., 1971. "A model of price adjustment," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 156-168, June.
    4. Meir Statman, 1981. "The effect of patent expiration on the market position of drugs," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 2(2), pages 61-66, June.
    5. Mark V. Pauly & Mark A. Satterthwaite, 1981. "The Pricing of Primary Care Physicians' Services: A Test of the Role of Consumer Information," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 12(2), pages 488-506, Autumn.
    6. Mats A. Bergman & Niklas Rudholm, 2003. "The Relative Importance of Actual and Potential Competition: Empirical Evidence From the Pharmaceuticals Market," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 455-467, December.
    7. Thomas Aronsson & Mats Bergman & Niklas Rudholm, 2001. "The Impact of Generic Drug Competition on Brand Name Market Shares – Evidence from Micro Data," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 19(4), pages 423-433, December.
    8. Nikas Rudholm, 2001. "Entry and the Number of Firms in the Swedish Pharmaceuticals Market," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 19(3), pages 351-364, November.
    9. Alan T. Sorensen, 2000. "Equilibrium Price Dispersion in Retail Markets for Prescription Drugs," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 108(4), pages 833-862, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Granlund, David & Rudholm, Niklas, 2008. "Consumer Loyalty in the Swedish Pharmaceuticals Market," HUI Working Papers 17, HUI Research.
    2. Granlund, David, 2008. "Does physicians' compensation affect the probability of their vetoing generic substitution?," Umeå Economic Studies 729, Umeå University, Department of Economics, revised 26 Mar 2008.
    3. Granlund, David, 2008. "Does Physicians' Compensation Affect the Probability of their Vetoing Generic Substitution?," HUI Working Papers 14, HUI Research.
    4. Granlund, David, 2010. "Price and welfare effects of a pharmaceutical substitution reform," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 856-865, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pharmaceutical industry; generic competition; generic drugs; brand name drugs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics

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