13% of Hungarian chronic patients often cannot afford their Rx medicines

2010-08-24

50% of Hungarian chronic patients have not been able to afford to buy their prescribed medicines at least once and 13% often cannot afford to buy their Rx drugs at all, according to a recent online survey conducted by Szinapszis and commissioned by webbeteg.hu, a Hungarian healthcare portal. The survey was taken by webbeteg.hu's online registered users who have chronic illnesses. The survey revealed that only 22% of patients have been advised by pharmacists on cheaper alternative drugs, while 51% of chronic patients never even ask whether a substitute is available and stick to preparations prescribed by their physicians. 25% of the surveyed chronic patients do not use the medications properly, of which 2% do not comply to the dosage regimens given by their physicians at all.