Step 6: Is drug therapy cost-effective?

Identify unnecessarily costly drug therapy by:

• Consider more cost-effective alternatives (but balance against effectiveness, safety, convenience)

• Opportunities for cost minimisation should be explored, but changing drugs for cost reasons should only be considered if effectiveness, safety or adherence would not be comprised.
• Ensure prescribing is in line with current formulary recommendations

Check for

• Costly formulations (e.g. dispersible)
• Costly unlicensed ‘specials’
• Branded products 
• >1 strength of  same drug
• Unsynchronised dispensing intervals (28 or 56 day supplies)