Topical analgesics are a growing prescription cost driver among individuals being treated for workplace injuries, according to a new study, which raises questions about the cost and efficacy of so-called topicals.
The Workers Compensation Research Institute studied 480,000 workers from 28 states, including Massachusetts, with injuries between Jan. 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019. Its new report, released on Thursday, sheds light on an emerging method of prescribed pain treatment amongst injured workers.
WCRI President and CEO John Ruser said the nonprofit research group’s drug trends report indicated the payment share for topicals in the typical state increased from 9 percent in the first quarter of 2015 to 19 percent in the first quarter of 2020.
“While topicals may be an important option for treating pain, some topicals commonly dispensed in workers’ compensation were expensive, not evaluated for safety and efficacy, and not recommended by guidelines,” said Ruser. “The study may be useful in identifying where these expensive topical medications, some of which have safety concerns, are being prescribed.”
Researchers also found topical payments varied widely among states, with the highest state having an average payment per claim nearly 20 times higher than the lowest state. Workers were infrequently dispensed private-label topicals in half the study states, but high-priced private-label topicals were dispensed to nearly a third of injured workers in five states — Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, and South Carolina.
Institute officials say their study can answer many questions that state officials, medical providers, and payors may have about topicals, including how dispensing patterns in their state compare with other states.
