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Pharmaceutical Drugs

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Although pharmaceutical drugs on the whole greatly improve patient outcomes and quality of life when used as prescribed, they are not without their complications. RAND research on pharmaceuticals examines their safety and effectiveness, relevant health economics issues, prescription drug abuse, challenges related to access and adherence, and pharmaceutical regulatory policy.

Report

How to Best Enable Pharma Innovation Beyond the COVID-19 Crisis

May 26, 2020

Innovating in response to public health challenges like COVID-19 does not always align well with pharmaceutical industry commercial models or shareholder expectations. More sustainable and scalable ways of incentivizing innovation in response to infectious disease threats are needed.
Report

U.S. Prescription Drug Prices Are 2.56 Times Those in Other Countries

Jan 28, 2021

Prices for prescription drugs in the United States in 2018 were 256 percent of those in 32 comparison countries. For brand-name drugs, U.S. prices were 344 percent higher. But for generic drugs, they were only 84 percent of the average paid in other nations.

Explore Pharmaceutical Drugs

Journal Article

Buprenorphine Prescriber Monthly Patient Caseloads: An Examination of 6-Year Trajectories

We examine buprenorphine-prescribing clinicians' patient caseloads over time and explore prescriber characteristics associated with different caseload trajectories.

Oct 1, 2021
Journal Article

Claims-based Measures of Prescription Opioid Utilization: A Practical Guide for Researchers

We reviewed medical literature for recent studies that use claims data to construct opioid utilization measures, then developed a guide for researchers regarding opioid utilization measures and measure definitions, and how these may influence study results.

Sep 30, 2021
Journal Article

How Is Modern Medicine Being Affected by Drug-Resistant Infections?

This report explores the relationship between drug-resistant bacterial infections, focusing on antibiotic-resistant infections and conditions such as HIV, cancer and diabetes and medical treatment including surgery, organ transplant and ICU care.

Sep 28, 2021
Journal Article

Consensus-based Approach to Managing Opioids, Including Opioid Misuse and Opioid Use Disorder, in Patients with Serious Illness: Protocol for a Modified Delphi Process

Using a modified Delphi approach, we created seven patient cases that capture important management challenges in individuals with serious illness prescribed opioid therapy.

Sep 22, 2021
Blog

Prescription Drug Prices, Unemployment Insurance, Anti-Asian Racism: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on lowering prescription drug prices, reforming unemployment insurance, addressing anti-Asian racism, and more.

Sep 17, 2021
News Release

Linking U.S. Prescription Drug Prices to Those in Other Nations Could Cut Costs in Half

High prescription drug prices in the United States drive up overall health care costs and lead many patients to forgo their medications. Linking U.S. drug prices to those in other countries would have cut U.S. spending on insulins and 50 top brand-name drugs by 52 percent in 2020—a savings of $83.5 billion.

Sep 10, 2021
Dissertation

Three Essays on the Broader Effects of the Opioid Crisis

Investigates the unintended consequences of opioid policies, OxyContin reformulation and prescription drug monitoring programs on crime, labor supply, and child welfare.

Aug 24, 2021
Report

RAND Technical Expert Panel Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D Contract Star Ratings, May 5, 2021 Meeting

The RAND team gathered input from experts about stratified reporting by Part D low-income subsidy (LIS) and dual eligibility (DE), and disability and assessing social risk factors of Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D contract beneficiaries.

Aug 5, 2021
Journal Article

Variation in Generic Dispensing Rates in Medicare Part D

Although generic use has increased markedly over time in Part D, substantial variation across plans persists in a number of common therapeutic classes.

Jun 30, 2021
Journal Article

Concentration of Patient Care Among Buprenorphine-Prescribing Clinicians in the U.S.

Drawing on national retail pharmacy data, researchers identified and categorized clinicians who prescribed buprenorphine for OUD at least once between January 2017 and December 2018.

Jun 10, 2021
News Release

Most Prescriptions for Opioid Addiction Medication Buprenorphine Are Written by a Small Number of Providers

Half of all patient-months of buprenorphine treatment during 2016 and 2017 were prescribed by just 4.9% of the physicians and other providers who prescribed the drug during the period.

Jun 1, 2021
Journal Article

Toward a Typology of Office-based Buprenorphine Treatment Laws: Themes from a Review of State Laws

Buprenorphine is a gold standard treatment for opioid use disorder. Some states have passed laws regulating office-based buprenorphine treatment, with requirements beyond those required in federal law. This study identified themes in state laws.

May 26, 2021
Blog

Biden's First Address to Congress: Insights from RAND

President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress, summarizing his administration's early COVID-19 response and outlining plans that aim to loosen the pandemic's year-long grip on a weary nation. The speech reflected the fact that the United States faces policy challenges across a wide range of domains.

Apr 29, 2021
Research Brief

Substance Use Among the Reserve Component

The Health Related Behaviors Survey provides insight into substance use among reserve component members, particularly use of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products, and illicit and prescription drugs.

Apr 28, 2021
Research Brief

2018 Health Related Behaviors Survey: Substance Use Among the Active Component

The 2018 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health and health behaviors of service members. This brief reviews results for substance use among active component members, particularly use of alcohol, tobacco, and medication.

Apr 28, 2021
Journal Article

Growing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Buprenorphine Distribution in the United States, 2007–2017

We find ecological evidence consistent with racial/ethnic disparities in buprenorphine distribution. Our finding that initiatives to increase the number of waivered prescribers are insufficient to achieve equitable buprenorphine access.

Apr 27, 2021
Research Brief

U.S. Prescription Drug Prices Are 2.5 Times Those in Other Countries

U.S. prices for prescription drugs were 250 percent of those in 32 comparison countries combined. Brand-name drugs drive the disparity: U.S. prices for this category were 344 percent higher. However, U.S. prices for unbranded generics were lower than those in other countries.

Apr 14, 2021
Journal Article

Prescribers and Naloxone Pharmacy Claims

Commentary on an article by Truong, Patil, and Rich, on the benefits and dangers of naloxone prescriptions.

Apr 13, 2021
Journal Article

Low-Value Proton Pump Inhibitor Prescriptions Among Older Adults at a Large Academic Health System

Older adults are particularly vulnerable to complications from proton pump inhibitor drugs. We sought to characterize the prevalence of potentially low-value PPI prescriptions among older adults to inform a quality improvement intervention.

Apr 9, 2021
Journal Article

Psychometric Evaluation of the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Disenrollment Reasons Survey

To develop and assess the reliability and validity of composite measures of reasons for disenrollment from Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans.

Apr 9, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Pharmaceutical Drugs

Topic Synonyms:
Medicinal Drugs

Research conducted by

RAND Health Care