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Table 3. Usage (person-year equivalents) and total costs in year 2001 of significant Pharmaceutical Schedule funding decisions since 1996 (source: HBL dispensing claims data)

Rx class and/or (indication)
Pharmaceutical agent
Person-year equivalents*
Costs ($)
Rapid acting insulin analogues (diabetes)
(Liver disease)
(Gaucher's disease)
(Renal anaemia)
Anti-thrombotic agents
insulin lispro
ursodeoxycholic acid
imiglucerase
erythropoietin alpha
dipyridamole
0.0
141.5
0.0
0.0
7330.2
1 749078
392 633
1 021854
4 805 021
1 731 904
Statins (HMG CoA reductase inhibitors) (dyslipidaemia)
atorvastatin
fluvastatin
pravastatin
simvastatin
45 332.7
2031.2
105.3
25 515.9
26 646 422
534 660
54 671
8 636 649
Anti-hypotensive agents
(Paget’s disease)
(Osteoporosis)
Antibacterials
(Hepatitis B)
midodrine
alendronate
alendronate
azithromycin
lamivudine
75.7
152.4
2748.4
0.0
230.8
58 265
237 666
2 113 149
238 462
431 437
(HIV/AIDS)
efavirenz
nevirapine
abacavir
didanosine (ddI)
lamivudine
stavudine (d4T)
zalcitabine (DDC)
zidovudine
indinavir
nelfinavir
ritonavir
saquinavir
63.2
82.3
23.4
61.7
114.0
147.0
0.3
14.4
134.5
71.3
17.3
13.9
386 535
321 014
130 744
266 793
436 818
877 887
2553
105 981
661 425
491 248
192 570
59 793
Newer anti-epilepsy agents
gabapentin
topiramate
lamotrigine
57.1
259.3
1747.5
136 755
576 215
3 997 582
Anti-parkinson agents
tolcapone
226.9
420 872
Atypical anti psychotics
clozapine
olanzapine
quetiapine
risperidone
2688.3
3242.3
350.2
8841.5
7 290 761
11 217 692
641 335
11 716 673
Hormone antagonists (excess growth hormone)
Hormone antagonists (advanced breast cancer)
octreotide
anastrozole
letrozole
0.3
112.8
224.5
1 665 064
324 414
628 695
Immunosuppressants

(Multiple sclerosis)
Long acting beta-adrenoceptor agonists (asthma)
cyclosporin A
tacrolimus
beta-interferon
eformoterol
1839.7
227.1
0.0
3815.2
7 605 868
2 399287
3 295 663
1 636249
(Glaucoma)
brimonidine
dorzolamide
latanoprost
0.0
0.0
0.0
452 648
336 598
1 942 437
Total

108 040.2
108 870 041
Total excluding statins

35 055.0
72 997 639
*blank entries denote missing data

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