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@article{206079,
        author = {Dr. Aditi Dilip Patil and Dr. Satish Eknath Bahekar and Dr Mirza Shiraz Baig},
        title = {The Economic Burden of Mental Health: Cost Variation of Antidepressants in the Indian Market},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {2},
        pages = {1504-1515},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=206079},
        abstract = {Background: Depressive disorders require prolonged pharmacotherapy, and the economic burden of treatment may affect affordability and adherence. In India, multiple branded generic formulations of antidepressants are available, leading to potential variations in medicine prices.
Objectives:
To evaluate and compare the cost variation among commonly prescribed oral antidepressants available in the Indian pharmaceutical market and to identify the extent of inter-brand price differences among equivalent formulations.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional pharmacoeconomic study was conducted using pricing data from the Current Index of Medical Specialties (CIMS) January–April 2025 edition and Indian Drug Review (IDR) 2025 Issue 1. Cost variation and cost ratio were calculated for eligible oral antidepressant formulations with identical strength and dosage forms across different brands.
Results:
The study analysed 20 antidepressant monotherapies and 8 fixed-dose combinations across five pharmacological classes. Marked inter-brand price variation was observed. 
The highest variation among monotherapies was observed with Imipramine 25 mg (434.71%; cost ratio 5.35), followed by Dosulepin 75 mg (371.57%) and Duloxetine 30 mg (352.34%). The lowest variation was seen with Paroxetine 30 mg (7.38%). Escitalopram 10 mg had the highest brand availability with 31 manufacturers. A low positive correlation was observed between number of manufacturers and price variation (r=0.378).
Conclusion:
Substantial cost variation exists among antidepressant brands in India, which may influence affordability and treatment continuity. Rational prescribing with consideration of cost-effectiveness and improved price transparency may help reduce avoidable healthcare expenditure.},
        keywords = {Antidepressants; Cost variation; Pharmacoeconomics; Drug pricing; Depression},
        month = {July},
        }