"Pill-Splitting Can Yield Cost Savings on Common Prescription Drugs - A Study"

Pill-splitting could yield significant cost savings without compromising drug efficacy or safety, according to a study published in the August 2002, issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.

The authors of the study emphasize that pill-splitting must be implemented with careful controls and begin with a doctor-patient conversation.

A study in Massachusetts started with the 265 medications most commonly prescribed nationally, and reduced them to 11 medications which the researchers determined could be split safely and effectively with significant cost savings ranging from 23 to 50 percent.

The article goes on to discuss the pros and cons of pill splitting and notes that it would be of most benefit to those who pay for prescription drugs out-of-pocket, including the uninsured and some Medicare beneficiaries. In conclusion, there is a table of the 11 medications and the potential cost savings for each.

Click on the link below to read the complete original article.

"Pill-Splitting Can Yield Cost Savings on Common Prescription Drugs - A Study" - DrugDigest