Diabetes pills drive cost of disease

According to a recent survey conducted in Greece, the cost of diabetic drugs Actos and Avandia have nearly tripled the overall expense of diabetic medicines to treat type 2 diabetics, over the past eight years.
The shocking findings, reported at the Laiko Hospital in Athens, saw a climb in from 23 to 79 euros, largely driven by the two controversial diabetes drugs. Furthermore, researchers noted, the blood thinning agent Plavix and statin pills to lower cholesterol also drove costs up.
One of the authors of the study, Stavroula Papaoikonomou, reportedly commented: “The medications are more expensive and we have had an intensification of treatment.” The global cost of treating diabetics with medication continues to increase, even though drug prices in Greece are amongst the lowest in Europe .