A Cost Comparison and Cost Variation Analysis of Anti Rheumatoid Drugs and Anti-Hypertensive Drugs in Ayurveda and Allopathy

Abstract

Our study aimed to analyze and compare monthly costs along with cost variation between Ayurveda and Allopathy medicines used to treat 2 chronic disease conditions, viz. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Hypertension. The prices of Allopathic & Ayurvedic drugs mentioned in the treatment guidelines for these 2 conditions were obtained from different sources.  The minimum and the maximum cost of a particular drug of the same strength manufactured by various pharmaceutical companies were noted for both Ayurvedic and as Allopathic medicines. Cost Ratio and percent Cost Variation were also calculated. The results showed that the percent Cost Variation Difference (%CVD) for ayurvedic medicines for Anti-Rheumatoid arthritis ranged from 105% to 166.33%. In the case of Allopathic drugs, the %CVD ranged from 182% for DMARDs to 1184.39% for Corticosteroids. In the case of Anti-hypertensive medicines, too, the mean %CVD ranged from 84.21% for Rasaushadhi to 353.33% for Arishta, while %CVD ranged from 150.70% for ACE inhibitors to 269.85% for Calcium channel blockers for Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicines, respectively. A comparison of the monthly medicine cost for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Ayurveda and Allopathy showed that the cost for Ayurveda medicine ranged from ₹993.16 to ₹1994 while that for Allopathic medicines ranged from ₹735.53 to ₹2634.57. In the case of hypertension, the monthly medicine cost ranged from ₹255.64 to 2136.35 depending on the grade of Hypertension for Ayurvedic medicines and ₹312.65 to ₹631.15 for Allopathic medicines. Thus, we can conclude that there is a wide difference in the prices of the various brands of the same oral Antihypertensive and Anti-Rheumatoid arthritis drugs available in both Ayurveda and Allopathy in the Indian market.