Access, availability and affordability of medications for children with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease in Guatemala
Keywords:
Chronic kidney disease, pediatric hemodialysis, medication access, medication availability, affordability, GuatemalaAbstract
his article aims to analyze the availability, access, and affordability of medications for children with advanced Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) treated with hemodialysis (HD) in a low to middle income country (LMIC). A cross-sectional chart review was carried out to determine the most common medications used in an HD pediatric unit, including medication name, dose, frequency, dosage form, and route of administration. Two pharmacies within the hospital perimeter, one public and one private, were consulted to determine medication cost and availability for generic and brand-name equivalents. From 30 patients attending the HD unit, 22 records were reviewed. Overall, 94 % of brand name medications were available at pharmacies consulted, versus and 52% of generic medications. In public pharmacies, 41% of brand name, and 29% of generic medications were available. The average cost for a full month´s treatment for brand name drugs in the private pharmacy was 495.00 USD versus 299.00 USD in the public pharmacy. For generic drugs, the average cost was 414.00 USD, and 239.00 USD in private and public pharmacies respectively. On average, brand-name drugs in the private pharmacy cost 41 days’ wages versus 25 in the public pharmacy. Generic drugs in the private pharmacy cost 34 days’ wages versus 20 in the public pharmacy. Overall, there was limited access to generic medications, medications had an overall high cost compared to other countries both of which have the potential to impact treatment adherence and overall outcomes of CKD5 pediatric patients in Guatemala. This reality can be translated to other LMIC.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Alejandra Rivera Alvarez, Jennifer Us Rojas, Brooke M. Ramay, André Chocó Cedillos, Alejandro Cerón, Melvin Bonilla Félix, Randall Lou Meda
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