Pharmacoeconomics amidst a financial crisis

Cost effective strategies must be implemented amidst an economic crisis in Sri Lanka to mitigate ever increasing medicinal costs. Exploration of measures such as evidence based generic prescribing, cost effectiveness analysis, value-based pricing, identification of low cost, high value medication and being sensitive to the ability of the patient to purchase medicine is a necessity. Clinicians must be sensitised to this issue to contribute actively to the process. Policies in line with pharmacoeconomic realities must be pursued.