NICOTINIC ACID, an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), which is used in treating patients with heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, has been added to the National Health Fund (NHF) card drug list. NHFcard holders will receive a subsidy of $27.00 for each 500 milligram tablet and $54.00 for the 1000 milligram tablet.

Commenting on the use of Nicotinic Acid, Dr Hafeezul Mohammed, cardiologist and president of the Association of Consultant Physicians, says it is "a very useful agent for lowering levels of triglycerides (a type of circulating fat) in the blood. It is also effective in increasing HDL or the good cholesterol."

Dr Mohammed says patients may use Nicotinic Acid alone or in combination with other drugs for normalising the lipids in the blood. The drug, he says, prevents hardening of the arteries and helps prevent heart attacks.

Drug list

The addition of Nicotinic Acid to the NHF card drug list brings the total number of API available under the programme to 190. Ten new generic drug brands for existing APIs have also been added to the NHFcard Drug List.

Rae Barrett, CEO NHF, says, "The regular addition of new products to the market, including generic drugs, has contributed to relatively low price increases seen for the APIs on the NHFcard drug list." He points out that in the past two years the average subsidy rate for NHFcard drugs has declined in some cases by as much as 57 per cent of the patient's cost for the prescription item.

"More generic drugs on the market improves the availability and affordability of drugs and, therefore, assists patient compliance with their medication requirement," adds Barrett.

Generic labels

The new generic labels which have been added are:

Apo-Carvedilol (Carvedilol) tablets used in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease and hypertension, with subsidy of $4.58 per 6.25 milligram

Apo-Risperdone (Risperdone) used for the treatment of psychosis and major depression with a subsidy of $33.13 per milligram

Serenata (Sertraline) 50 milligram tablets used for treating major depression, with a subsidy of $32.77

Louten (Latanoprost) eye drops 0.005 per cent, 2.5 millilitre used in the treatment of glaucoma with a subsidy of $1,852.50

Simva (Simvastatin) tablets used in the treatment of high cholesterol, and as an adjunct for diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and hypertension, with a subsidy of $24.87 per 10 milligramMitotax (Paclitaxel) injection with a subsidy of $3,182.40.

The labels added for treating asthma are:

Beclosal Inhaler (Salbutamol & Beclomethasene) with a subsidy of $409.50

Beclocip Inhaler (Beclomethasone) with a subsidy of $325.66

Salvent Inhaler (Salbutamol) with a subsidy of $149.97

Salmetide Inhaler (Salmetrol Xina & Fluticasone) with a subsidy of $2,636.00 for 125 mcg and $2,937.23 for 250mcg.