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Location : Wasted Space Job/hobbies : Cayman Islands Actuary
| Subject: OZschwitz: Thanks to government, pensioners skipping necessary medicines Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:28 pm | |
| The use of essential medicines by pensioners fell by up to 11 per cent after the federal government increased the amount they have to pay towards prescriptions.
Pensioners are forgoing potentially life-saving drugs after being forced to choose between medicines, Dr Anna Hynd, a research associate at the University of Western Australia's School of Population Health says.
Dr Hynd led a study which quantifies how out-of-pocket expenses affect the care of low-income people.
Her study published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety is the first to demonstrate how medication use has changed in response to price rises in recent years.
The study says the biggest drops are in medicines to prevent ulcers, osteoporosis, asthma and dangerous blood clots, Fairfax reports.
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