Disclosure of Physician Prescribing Information and Prescription Drug Costs: Evidence from Saskatchewan

Restrictions on the release of physician prescribing information from pharmacy records in the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan were relaxed in 2000. Estimates of aggregated physician prescribing profiles in Saskatchewan have subsequently been available since January 2001. There is some concern that the use of these data to direct drug detailing and promotion efforts may increase prescription drug costs. The evidence on this is sparse, however. I therefore assessed whether the policy change increased overall and therapeutic category specific drug costs in Saskatchewan by comparing trends in drug costs in Saskatchewan with trends in other provinces. There was no evidence that the policy change increased drug costs. To the extent that the policy change increased the effectiveness and/or amount of physician detailing or other promotional activities in Saskatchewan, sales increases likely came at the expense of competitors' sales. The total size of the market appeared to be unaffected by the policy change.