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Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 33 No. suppl 13, 2021.

Original scientific paper

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN CROATIA

Sanja Tomasović ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb, Croatia; Medical School Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Jelena Košćak Lukač ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Sremec ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb, Croatia
Nataša Klepac ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Medical School University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Pero Draganić ; HALMED, Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Bielen ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb, Croatia; Medical School Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia

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Abstract

Treatment of multiple sclerosis has been a dynamic field lately, with many new and emerging treatment options. In this study, we
investigate the use of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis in Croatia. The data on DMT use was provided by
the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices of Croatia (HALMED). The data from 2005 to 2016 was available.
Consumption of DMTs (in DDD/1000/day) has been increasing by 9% annually on average since 2005. In the same period, the
annual cost for those drugs has been increasing by 14.6% annually on average. The consumption of IFN-beta 1-a has been
increasing by a much steeper rate than IFN-beta 1-b. Until 2010 the consumption of glatiramer acetate has been negligible, with a
steep increase between 2011 and 2014, and a steady rate of consumption since. Recently, several new DMTs became available,
namely dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide and fingolimod. Natalizumab became available after 2010, and its consumption has been
growing steadily, but its consumption figures are exceeded by alemtuzumab. New DMTs are not as readily available in Croatia as
they are in some countries. However, there is a continuous increase in the number of prescriptions, along with growing costs in
pharmacological treatment of multiple sclerosis, and this can be expected to become even more pronounced in the following years,
due to the abundance of new therapeutic options that are steadily becoming available.

Keywords

multiple sclerosis; disease modifying therapy; pharmacoepidemiology; healthcare

Hrčak ID:

272670

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/272670

Publication date:

8.2.2022.

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