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Effect of clinical trial publicity on HRT prescribing in Ireland

  • Pharmacoepidemiology and Prescription
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effect of publicity surrounding the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and Million Women (MW) studies on prescribing of all hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparations and bisphosphonates in Ireland.

Methods

The General Medical Services (GMS) prescription database was used to identify the study population. Prescriptions were identified for HRT and bisphosphonate preparations [using WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification codes] in female patients aged 45–69 years in Ireland during a 4-year study period (January 2001–December 2004). Prescription rates were calculated monthly. Prevalence and incidence of HRT use was examined.

Results

There was a significant reduction in prevalence for all HRT preparations following the WHI trial (test for change in trend p<0.0001), which persisted after the MW study. The incidence of combined oestrogen/progestogen HRT declined after the WHI trial (test for change in trend p=0.004). Bisphosphonate prescribing showed a significant increase throughout the study period (p<0.0001).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that coverage surrounding the publication of clinical trials appears to have had a negative impact on the rate of HRT prescribing. The findings regarding the coincident increase in use of bisphosphonates may suggest that prescribers and users were less likely to regard HRT as an appropriate therapy in the management of osteoporosis for some time before guidance was issued by the regulatory authorities.

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Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the Irish GMS (Payments) Board for providing us with the data on which this study is based and the Health Research Board of Ireland, for funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, 8, Ireland

    C. Usher, M. Teeling, K. Bennett & J. Feely

Authors
  1. C. Usher
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  2. M. Teeling
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  3. K. Bennett
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  4. J. Feely
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. Usher.

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Usher, C., Teeling, M., Bennett, K. et al. Effect of clinical trial publicity on HRT prescribing in Ireland. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 62, 307–310 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-005-0083-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-005-0083-x

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