Segment 8 - The Relation of Cost of RA Agents and Patient Adherence

The panelists’ discussion led to a conversation about quality and cost-effectiveness, especially as it relates to nonadherence. Dr Fendrick asked about the kinds of pressures patients face when it comes to paying for the drugs that they are prescribed.

Dr Ruderman said that the high costs of medications can be a huge problem.

“There’s no question that I don’t go through a half day in clinic without having at least—you know if I have 15 patients—I have 3 discussions about what we can do, how we can modify things around the fact that their co-pay is too large, they can’t afford it, they’re only taking their medicine half as often as I’d like them to take or they’re not taking it all or they’re not taking it because of cost.”

He added that adherence shouldn’t only be defined by the amount of medication patients take, because rheumatologists often tell patients who are on biologics to take half of the prescribed dose.