Monitor the trends in consumption of drugs for acid-related disorders

Note: The report and the consumption figures are no longer updated.

The Danish Medicines Agency monitors the consumption of drugs for acid-related disorders (drugs for heartburn, sour eructation and ulcer) in connection with the removal of the reimbursement for a number of these drugs on 15 November 2010. Read more about the reimbursement changes below.

The report in the right-hand box shows the development in consumption of drugs for acid-related disorders from December 2009 to October 2011. From the report, you can find links to the consumption in absolute figures for the individual months and the corresponding figures and charts for each of the five Danish regions.

Many people are now treated with less expensive drugs for acid-related disorders. A comparison between the turn of the year 2009/10 and fall 2011 shows that new patients are predominantly started on treatment with inexpensive drugs for acid-related disorders (inexpensive proton-pump inhibitors), which retain general reimbursement after 15 November 2010. Also, many of the patients who, prior to the change of reimbursement, used one of the medicines that became ineligible for reimbursement have now switched to less expensive medicines.

About the changes in reimbursement for drugs for acid-related disorders

Many people treated for heartburn, sour eructation and gastric ulcer (acid-related disorders) can be treated with less expensive medicines that are just as efficient - and in some cases even more efficient. On 11 June 2010, the Danish Medicines Agency therefore decided to remove the reimbursement for these expensive medicines as of 15 November 2010. In effect, it means that:

• The inexpensive proton pump inhibitors omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole are still eligible for general reimbursement
• The expensive proton pump inhibitors rabeprazole and esomeprazole became ineligible for general reimbursement
• The so-called H2 receptor antagonists and the medicines misoprostol and sucralfate became ineligible for general reimbursement
• Medicines of the antacid type and alginic acid are still ineligible for general reimbursement.

Read more about the reimbursement changes and their background here: Changes in reimbursements for drugs for acid-related disorders as of 15 November 2010.