Investigation of the reconsultation rate and pharmacoeconomic evaluation of period of influenza treatment by oseltamivir

In the epidemic of influenza in fiscal 2002, there was a shortage in Japan of the anti-influenza virus medicine "oseltamivir". For this reason, many medical institutions were forced to shorten the treatment period with this medication. In this study, we compared the shorter oseltamivir treatment and the indicated 5-day course of treatment with the index for the reconsultation rate and medication dispensing fee from the viewpoint of pharmacoeconomics and clinical effect. Oseltamivir was prescribed for 2, 3 or 5 days for the treatment of influenza, and the rate of reconsultation, type of virus and age were analyzed. The total fees paid to a pharmacy for influenza treatment were also calculated for pharmacoeconomic evaluation. Two-day treated patients had a higher rate of reconsultation compared with the 3- and 5-day treatment groups. Analysis of patients by influenza virus type and age showed no significant difference in reconsultation rate. The total medication dispensing fees for 2-, 3- and 5-day treatment with oseltamivir were 4713, 4755 and 6520 yen, respectively, that of 5-day treatment being significantly higher. These results suggest that 2-day treatment by oseltamivir was significantly high in reconsultation rate, and 5-day treatment was significantly high in medication dispensing fee, so 3-day treatment of influenza by this medicine is the most suitable from the viewpoint of pharmacoeconomics and clinical effect.