Price changes in colchicine have changed practice management for gout by Rhianna Davis, Alex Chan +Originally published by 2 Minute Medicine® (view original article). Reused on AccessMedicine with permission. +1. The price increase of Colchicine in the United States led to greater use of alternative medications for gout treatment, as well as greater ED and rheumatology visits for gout. +Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good) +Prices of prescription drugs have an important impact on the ability of patients to adhere to recommended medical treatments. The price of colchicine, a prescription medication used to treat gout, was increased in 2010 in the United States. This retrospective cohort study assessed MarketScan data from patients with gout and employer-based insurance between 2007 and 2019. The mean price of colchicine increased from $11.25 in 2009 to $190.49 in 2011, with the mean out-of-pocket cost increasing by 4.4-fold on average. The authors found that colchicine use declined following the price increase, with a 16.7% reduction in year 1 and a 27.0% reduction over the decade (p < .001). The use of allopurinol for gout treatment increased, with a 32% increase from baseline over the decade (p <0.001). Importantly, the authors found that from 2009-2019, ED visits for gout increased by 39.8% (p < .001), and rheumatology visits for gout increased by 10.5% (p <0.001). This study suggests that the cost of medications has a profound impact on medication choice, as well as the success of disease management. A limitation of this study is the exclusion of participants without employer-based insurance for drug coverage, given that this population is likely more impacted by changes to prescription medication costs. +Click to read the study in JAMA Network Open +©2023 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without expressed written consent from 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. Inquire about licensing here. No article should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2 Minute Medicine, Inc.