Aims and Objectives: 1) To study prescription patterns in psychiatry outpatient department in tertiary care teaching hospital. 2) To determine drug utilization pattern in psychiatry OPD. 3) To analyze cost of prescription. 4) To determine relationship between socioeconomic status and the cost of prescription. 5) To determine the difference between the costs of a prescription with the prescribed brand and alternative cheaper brand of psychotropic drugs.

Material and Methods: Patients of either sex and irrespective of age suffering from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders as diagnosed by psychiatrists were randomly screened. Information about the socioeconomic status of the patient was obtained. Monthly expenditure on prescribed brand of psychotropic drugs and cheaper alternative brands of same drugs was calculated. Data of 158 patients was analyzed.

Results: Majority of the patients seeking psychiatric treatment in our hospital belong to lower socioeconomic class. Olanzapine and Risperidone constitute the mainstay of treatment for psychotic disorders. The average cost per prescription of psychotropic drugs for prescribed brand for 30 days was Rs. 385.70 and that for alternative cheaper brand was Rs. 281.79. The difference between the two was Rs. 103.91.

Conclusion: Cost of prescription can be significantly reduced by prescribing cheaper alternative brands, allowing brand substitution or by prescribing drugs by generic names especially in cases of expensive drug.   

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Dr Nishikant A. Ingole

Assistant Professor Dept. of Pharmacology,

CCM Medical College Kachandur Durg (C.G) 490024

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Mob no:- 08605432791