Retrospective time-trend analysis of drug sales for smoking cessation from 2010-2020 in Portuguese community pharmacies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62741/ahrj.v3i2.204Keywords:
Smoking Cessation, Nicotine, Varenicline, Bupropion, Pharmacies, COVID-19Abstract
Introduction: The prevalence of smoking worldwide is reflected in many serious health problems. Several drugs are available at the community pharmacy to help smokers achieve abstinence.
Objectives: The present work performed an exploratory retrospective time-trend analysis of sales of three medicines approved by Portuguese health authorities for smoking cessation: nicotine, varenicline, and bupropion in Portuguese community pharmacies from 2010 to 2020.
Methodology: Drug sales data from pharmacies across continental Portugal were provided by the Portuguese National Authority for Medicines and Health Products (INFARMED) and analyzed descriptively. An interrupted time-series analysis using segmented least-squares multiple regression was conducted on annual sales of medicines. A Person correlation between varenicline sales and medical consultations was evaluated.
Results: Nicotine, available over the counter, is the preferred pharmacotherapy, and varenicline was the second choice. January tended to be the month with the most sales. Bupropion sales revealed marginal figures. Varenicline showed a sharp increase in sales after 2017, driven by reimbursement from the national healthcare system. There was a statistically significant correlation between the number of medical consultations and varenicline sales. The segmented regression model demonstrated a robust fit, showing that the intervention year of 2017 was noticed across the three medicines. There was a sharp decrease in sales of prescription varenicline from 2019 to 2020, likely due to reduced access to medical appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: Sales of medication for smoking cessation reveal seasonal patterns, and drug copayment from health systems increases interest in smoking cessation medication.
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