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MedImpact Research Highlights Shortfalls in Cholesterol Management; Study is First to Evaluate Effects of Statin Switching on Compliance and Persistence

Posted on: Tuesday, 15 November 2005, 12:00 CST

MedImpact, the nation's largest pharmacy benefit management (PBM) company that does not sell drugs, today announced it has completed an innovative research study assessing the impact of switching statin drug treatments. The study, titled "The Effect of Switching on Compliance and Persistence: The Case of Statin Treatment," was published in the November issue of the American Journal of Managed Care. MedImpact and the University of Southern California's Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy were collaborators on the project.

MedImpact's research demonstrates that individuals who switch statins are 18.9 percent less compliant and 44.2 percent less persistent with their statin drug therapy than those who do not switch. These findings are significant because statins -- such as Pravachol, Zocor and Lipitor -- are essential for effective cholesterol management and have been proven to reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes among individuals with elevated cholesterol levels.

Statins can produce different results among individuals for whom statin drug therapy is appropriate, and switching is sometimes necessary to achieve the desired reduction in cholesterol level or to eliminate side effects. This study finds that switching does not significantly reduce out-of-pocket cost for the consumer: the average cost savings achieved by a statin drug switch was only $1.33 per prescription. Therapeutic considerations may be the primary motivation to switch statins.

"Statin switching is often an important strategy in effective cholesterol management," said Dr. David Berenbeim, chief medical officer for MedImpact. "Now that we know -- definitively -- that switching is associated with lower compliance and persistence rates, physicians will know to provide special attention to their patients who undergo a change in statin treatment. This will undoubtedly lead to improved cholesterol management, lower costs, and ultimately better health for those who use cholesterol lowering medications."

"MedImpact's research, including this published study on statin switching, benefits our clients and our members because the findings can guide the development of clinical programs that ultimately lead to lower cost, higher clinical quality of care, and enhanced member satisfaction," said Berenbeim. "Researchers Thiebaud and Patel are to be commended for designing and conducting research that generates valuable information for physicians to improve cholesterol management."

About MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.

MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc., based in San Diego, California, was founded in 1989. The company currently services 27 million members nationwide with clients that include Fortune 500 employer corporations, unions, managed care organizations, health plans, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, as well as local, state and federal employee programs. MedImpact bases its success on delivering products and services that provide choice and that are designed to lower overall client cost while increasing member satisfaction and quality of care.

About USC's Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

Launched in 1994, the USC Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy was the first in the country to focus exclusively on pharmacoeconomics. With the largest student body of any U.S. program of its kind and the most extensive network of alumni in the nation, the Department continually supports its mission to generate knowledge regarding the value of pharmaceutical and pharmacy services and to communicate this knowledge to students, clinicians and policy makers.

Source: Business Wire

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