Budget impact analysis for three glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist-based therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus management in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study presents a budget impact analysis (BIA) conducted in Saudi Arabia, evaluating the cost implications of adopting semaglutide, tirzepatide, or dulaglutide in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The analysis aims to assess the individual budgetary impact of these treatment options on healthcare budgets and provide insights for decision-makers. METHODS: A prevalence-based BIA was developed using real-world and clinical trials data. The model considered disease epidemiology, medication prices, diabetes management expenses, cardiovascular (CV) complications costs, and weight reduction savings over a 5-year time horizon. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (OWSA, PSA) were performed to assess the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Over a 5-year period, the cumulative budget impact for semaglutide, tirzepatide, and dulaglutide were 85,923,089 USD, 169,790,195 USD, and 94,558,356 USD, respectively. Hypothetical scenarios considering price parity between semaglutide and tirzepatide are associated with financial impacts of 85,923,091 USD and 86,475,335 USD, respectively. In the public sector, semaglutide showed the lowest incidence of 3-point major adverse CV events (3P-MACE), with tirzepatide leading in weight loss and HbA1c reduction, and dulaglutide presenting the highest 3P-MACE rates and least improvements in HbA1c and weight. A breakeven analysis suggested that tirzepatide's list price would need to be $199.91 lower than its current list price to achieve budget impact parity with semaglutide based on currently available evidence. Results from the OWSA suggested that risk reductions for CV events were key drivers of budget impact. PSA results were confirmatory of base-case analyses. CONCLUSIONS: CV cost-offsets and drug acquisition considerations may make semaglutide a favorable use of resources for Saudi budget planners and decision-makers. These results were robust to assumptions regarding the list price of tirzepatide.

Preparatory Year Students' Perception of Pharmacy Profession as a Career Choice: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract The study attempted to assess preparatory year students' perception towards pharmacists and the pharmacy profession. This cross-sectional survey was conducted between December 2019 and March 2020. The students were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire via Google Forms®. In total, 244 students, of which 53.7% were female with the mean age of 19.2 ± 0.65, from 12 universities participated in this study. As per our findings, the majority of the respondents (91.8%) regard pharmacy as a well-respected profession, 82.4% thought pharmacists are important decision-makers, 68.4% disagreed that most pharmacists were unkind, and 60.7% did not agree that pharmacy was a low-status occupation. Meanwhile, 95.5% agreed that pharmacists must have a university degree, 88.6% agreed pharmacists must take responsibility for patients, and 82.8% believed pharmacists had to work too hard. Moreover, 62.3% did not think pharmacy was a low-skill occupation, 54.9% did not agree pharmacists must do unpleasant things, and 45.1% disagreed pharmacists only did what physicians requested of them. Lastly, 48.8% had low confidence in choosing pharmacy as a career. The students' overall perception toward pharmacists and the pharmacy profession was favorable. However, only one-fourth of the students displayed a tendency to choose pharmacy as a future career.

Impact of a multidisciplinary intensive education program on type 2 diabetes mellitus patients' glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary intensive education program (MIEP) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients' outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective study was used to evaluate the impact of MIEP on T2DM patients' outcomes for between May 2016 and May 2017. Data were collected from the diabetes education clinic in King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where patients were referred from diabetes outpatient clinics to the diabetes education clinic to receive MIEP. In terms of measuring the clinical outcomes of the T2DM patients, glycemic control, blood pressure, weight, and lipid profiles were assessed before MIEP at 3, 6, and 12 months. Results: A total of 174 patients with T2DM fulfilled study inclusion criteria. The results indicate improved glycemic control where patients' HbA1c and blood sugar levels were significantly reduced 3, 6, and 12 months after MIEP compared to the baseline (p less than 0.005). Moreover, blood pressure improved after education; a significant improvement was observed in the mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) from baseline to 12 months (p=0.036), and in the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) after 12 months (p=0.016). Additionally, the study found significant differences in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 6 months after the intervention (p=0.014, p=0.02, respectively). Conclusion: Implementing an MIEP for T2DM patients can improve their clinical outcomes, which consequently may delay the disease's long-term complications.

The ticking time bomb in lifestyle-related diseases among women in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries; review of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to review all published systematic reviews on the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among women from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC). This is the first review of other systematic reviews that concentrates on lifestyle related diseases among women in GCC countries only. METHOD: Literature searches were carried out in three electronic databases for all published systematic reviews on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in the GCC countries between January 2000 and February 2016. RESULTS: Eleven systematic reviews were identified and selected for our review. Common reported risk factors for cardiovascular disease were obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and hypertension. In GCC countries, obesity among the female population ranges from 29 to 45.7%, which is one of the highest rates globally, and it is linked with physical inactivity, ranging from 45 to 98.7%. The prevalence of diabetes is listed as one of the top ten factors globally, and was reported with an average of 21%. Hypertension ranged from 20.9 to 53%. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases among women population in GCC is a ticking time bomb and is reaching alarming levels, and require a fundamental social and political changes. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive work among the GCC to strengthen the regulatory framework to decrease and control the prevalence of these factors.