EVALUASI HARGA OBAT DI APOTEK KOTA KENDARI TAHUN 2007

Abstract

Background: Medicine is an integral part of health services.
Several actions have been conducted by the government in
order to ensure the availability and affordability of medicines,
among others is close monitoring of medicine prices so that
they are affordable by the community. Previous studies in
Indonesia in 1996 and 2002 revealed that medicine prices,
both generic and branded, were quite high.
Objective: To evaluate selling price of generic medicine in
pharmacies in Kendari municipalities.
Methods: This is a non-experimental study applying a cross
sectional survey design, targeted to selling price of generic
and branded medicines in 27 pharmacies in Kendari municipality.
Data on prices was collected retrospectively from the
prescription sheet and pharmacy price lists, and in-depth
interviews were paid to uncover underlying factors on decision
to set the medicine prices.
Result: The study showed that in general, the average selling
price of generics was 2.72 times higher (range 0.70 – 15.38)
than the Ministry of Health Price Standard (HJA Menkes - Harga
Jual Apotek Menteri Kesehatan Tahun 2006). The average
selling price of branded medicines was approximately 14.53
times higher (range 1.24 – 76.33) than HJA Menkes. The selling
price of the most frequently prescribed generic medicines,
i.e., amoxicillin tablet 500 mg, were 3 times higher than HJA
Menkes 2006. Generic medicines which priced >5 times higher
than HJA Menkes 2006 included chlorfeniramine maleate,
ciprofloxacine, ambroxol, glibenclamide, metoclopramide, and
dexamethazone. A month treatment cost for hypertension with
captopril and furosemide ranged from Rp 8,300 to Rp 125,680
or in term of minimum daily wages (MDW) for Kendari which
was Rp 24,500, ranged from 0.3 to 5 MDW. Treatment cost for
pneumonia with amoxycillin ranged from Rp 7,972 to Rp 39,094
or 0.3 to 1.6 MDW. The prices of HJA Menkes 2006 were on
average 1.04 times (or equal) compared to the MSH
International Price Index 2006.
Conclusion: HJA Menkes 2006 equals to MSH international
price index 2006. The average selling prices of generics and
branded medicines in private pharmacies in Kendari municipality
were 2.72 times and 14.53 times, respectively, as compared
to HJA Menkes 2006. However, cheaper alternatives were
available, and treatment costs were affordable if patients
purchased cheaper products.
Keywords : medicine prices, pharmacy selling price, HJA
Menkes 2006, MSH International Price Index