SPONSORED CONTENT
Numerous studies have demonstrated how patient medication adherence impacts long-term outcomes and healthcare costs.
Drug manufacturers consistently work to refine their current products, and to create new ones, in order to increase patient adherence. Medications that once needed to be administered multiple times per day, now come in extended-release versions that require only one daily dose. Manufacturers have succeeded in combining multiple drugs into single tablet regimens. This trend is evident in the evolution of HIV regimens over time. One of the first combinations of anti-retroviral therapy used to treat HIV patients required patients to take almost 20 pills per day. Now, many of the most widely used medications for managing HIV consist of only one pill, once per day.
The Next Generation
Recently, manufacturers have taken it a step further–introducing long-lasting injectable medications. Examples include Cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CABENUVA), a monthly injection to manage HIV, and long-acting buprenorphine (SUBLOCADE®), a once-a-month injection, used to help manage opioid addiction.
…