The Cost and Utilization of Compound Drugs, Convenience Packs and Medical Foods in California WC

Announced : August 16, 2010

A new CWCI study on Calif. workers' comp prescriptions shows the use of compound drugs, medical foods, and "co-packs" that combine prescription drugs and medical foods, increased sharply in the 2nd quarter of 2007 - coinciding with state regulators' crackdown on physician-dispensed repackaged drugs. Institute estimates show that between the 1st quarter of 2006 and the 1st quarter of 2009, the proportion of California workers' comp prescriptions involving these products nearly quadrupled, while the proportion of prescription dollars used to pay for these products increased more than five-fold. Compound drugs, co-packs and medical foods accounted for nearly 1 out of 8 dollars paid for injured worker prescriptions in California in the 1st quarter of 2009. Research section.