Milozzi Federica, Di Filippo Aurora, Cangini Agnese, Trotta Francesco
Agenzia italiana del farmaco (AIFA), Roma.
Agenzia italiana del farmaco (AIFA), Roma;
Epidemiol Prev. 2023 Jan-Apr;47(1-2):57-66. doi: 10.19191/EP23.A534.002.
to investigate the actual selling prices of over-the-counter or self-medication (OTC) and non-prescription (SOP) packages of band C medicines, which are freely set by individual pharmacies, para-pharmacies, and corners of the large-scale retail trade. Specifically, the prices charged for paracetamol 500 mg 20 tablets (20 CPR) and 30 tablets (30 CPR) in the online sale, carried out by different retail outlets authorized by the Italian Ministry of Health, were surveyed.
cross-sectional observational descriptive study. The availability for online purchase of one or more packages of paracetamol 500 mg 20 CPR and 30 CPR was checked for each outlet considered; for sites with at least one package available for sale, the lowest real price of each of the two packages (20 and 30 CPR) was recorded, differentiating among: 1. type of outlet (pharmacy or retail outlet); 2. originator (branded) or generic (unbranded) drug; 3. city of residence of the outlet (provincial capital city or not).
the sample considered consists of 475 online retail sites (pharmacies, para-pharmacies, and large-scale retail stores) based in the 10 major Italian provincial capitals, including sites in the relevant provincial cities.
the average real price, calculated as the average of all real prices recorded by packaging type; the minimum real price, i.e., or the lowest real price recorded by packaging type; the average discount, calculated as the difference between the average real price and the average value of the maximum recommended prices (set by the marketing authorization holder, AIC) for branded and unbranded packaging; the maximum discount, calculated as the difference between the minimum real price and the average value of the maximum recommended prices (set by the marketing authorization holder) for branded and unbranded packaging.
a wide availability of paracetamol packages produced by multiple AIC holders (both branded and unbranded) was found in the country. The presence of several manufacturers of paracetamol 500 mg induces high price competition, as evident from the discounts given. However, discounts are very high on non-branded packs and lower on branded packs. However, analysis of consumption at the national level shows that price competitiveness does not reflect true market share competitiveness, as consumption is mainly concentrated on branded packs that have the highest prices.
wide and homogeneous distribution of unbranded products from different holders is available throughout the country. These products have significantly lower prices than branded packages, and they also have heavy discounts applied (up to 70%, with minimum price per tablet going as low as 0.05 euros). However, contrary to what these premises might lead one to think, consumption is concentrated on the branded packages having the highest prices. For proper information to citizens and trade associations, it is important for the media to bring awareness of the real savings opportunities available nationwide for products of frequent and widespread use, such as the case of paracetamol 500 mg.
调查C类药品非处方药（OTC）和无需处方的药品（SOP）包装的实际售价，这些药品由个体药店、副业药店以及大型零售企业的角落自行定价。具体而言，对意大利卫生部授权的不同零售网点在线销售的500毫克20片装（20 CPR）和30片装（30 CPR）对乙酰氨基酚的收费价格进行了调查。
横断面观察性描述性研究。检查了每个被考虑的销售点是否有在线购买一包或多包500毫克20 CPR和30 CPR对乙酰氨基酚的情况；对于至少有一包可供销售的网站，记录了两种包装（20 CPR和30 CPR）各自的最低实际价格，并区分：1. 销售点类型（药店或零售点）；2. 原产商（品牌）或通用（无品牌）药品；3. 销售点所在城市（省会城市与否）。
所考虑的样本包括位于意大利10个主要省会城市的475个在线零售网站（药店、副业药店和大型零售店），包括相关省级城市的网站。
平均实际价格，按包装类型记录的所有实际价格的平均值计算；最低实际价格，即按包装类型记录的最低实际价格；平均折扣，按品牌和无品牌包装的平均实际价格与最高推荐价格（由营销授权持有人设定，AIC）的平均值之间的差值计算；最大折扣，按品牌和无品牌包装的最低实际价格与最高推荐价格（由营销授权持有人设定）的平均值之间的差值计算。
在该国发现了多个AIC持有人（品牌和无品牌）生产的对乙酰氨基酚包装广泛可得。500毫克对乙酰氨基酚有多家制造商，这导致了激烈的价格竞争，从给出的折扣中可见一斑。然而，无品牌包装的折扣非常高，品牌包装的折扣较低。然而，在国家层面的消费分析表明，价格竞争力并不反映真正的市场份额竞争力，因为消费主要集中在价格最高的品牌包装上。
来自不同持有人的无品牌产品在全国范围内广泛且均匀分布。这些产品的价格明显低于品牌包装，而且它们也有很大的折扣（高达70%，每片最低价格低至0.05欧元）。然而，与这些前提可能导致人们认为的情况相反，消费集中在价格最高的品牌包装上。为了向公民和行业协会提供适当信息，媒体让人们了解全国范围内常见和广泛使用的产品（如500毫克对乙酰氨基酚）的实际节省机会非常重要。
