Volume 184 - Issue 2
Use of prescribed medications in a South Australian community sample
Authors: Robert D Goldney and Laura J Fisher
Med J Aust 2006; 184 (2): 96. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00140.x
Published online: 16 January 2006
Published online: 16 January 2006
Robert D Goldney,* Laura J Fisher†
* Professor of Psychiatry, † Research Officer, The Adelaide Clinic, Suite 13, 33 Park Terrace, Gilberton, SA 5081. robert.goldneyATadelaide.edu.au
In reply: We agree that, because of our research methodology, we could not necessarily assume that any medication prescription was inappropriate, and we noted that on two occasions. However, our economic analysis addressed only those people using six or more prescribed medications (mean, 7.8), and we reported multiple use of same-class medications, and, at times, use of two different preparations of the same medication. Therefore, we believe our estimate of potential cost savings to be conservative. Nevertheless, we accept that our hypothesis needs more formal testing using clinical data.
Competing interests
Robert Goldney is on a psychotropic drug advisory board for Wyeth Australia and Lundbeck Australia, and the study was supported by the companies noted in the previously-published Acknowledgements. He has also received travel assistance from Sanofi-Synthelabo Australia and speaker fees from several of the companies named in the Acknowledgements. Laura Fisher has received part-salary/funding for data analysis from the companies noted in the Acknowledgements.