|
1000
|
Abstract/Summary
|
-
A recently published study from Germany suggested an increased risk of liver cancer among NDMA-contaminated generic valsartan users. However, studies from the US showed that generic versus brand-name drug users differ regarding socioeconomic characteristics. If also true for Germany, this might have biased the results on NDMA-contaminated valsartan given that the socioeconomic status was not considered in the analysis. We, therefore, investigated for the first time whether users of brand-name versus generic preparations in Germany differ by socioeconomic status. Based on a large claims database (GePaRD), we conducted a cross-sectional study including individuals with ≥1 valsartan dispensation in 2017. Among 495,832 individuals, we observed no meaningful differences between generic versus brand-name valsartan users regarding educational level or socioeconomic deprivation. Our results suggest brand-name versus generic drug users in Germany to be comparable regarding the socioeconomic status, thus, supporting the validity of findings on harmful effects of NDMA-contaminated valsartan exposure.
|
