Study ties lower anticonvulsant prescriptions to pharmacy closures

While previously published findings pointed to a decline in adherence to cardiovascular drugs following community pharmacy closures, new research suggests a similar pattern with anticonvulsants.

Authors of the research published in JAMA found that pharmacy shutdowns correlated to a reduction of 1.15 fills per patient per month, tantamount to 1 month of missed medication over a 6-month period. They found that mail-order pharmacies did not curb this effect either.

The authors examined claims data in Colorado from January 2018 to June 2022 to investigate whether the shutdown of a community pharmacy had an effect on anticonvulsant prescription fills over the ensuing 6 months. For comparison, they tracked fills in a control group of patients who used a pharmacy that did not close.

A total of 39 locations stopped doing business during the study period, affecting 3,614 state residents, while 783 locations remained open to serve 123,439 patients.

Nonadherence to anticonvulsant medications has been associated with unfavorable outcomes, including more emergency department visits and greater mortality in epilepsy and symptom exacerbation in neuropathic pain.

What could help? Authors suggested allowing patients to fill a greater supply of medication—with plan coverage—ahead of a pending closure. Clinicians could proactively assist patients in finding a new pharmacy and transferring prescriptions as well.