Pharmacy Closures and Anticonvulsant Medication Prescription Fills

While the number of US community pharmacies has remained somewhat constant, there is significant instability with 1 in 8 community pharmacies closing from 2009 to 2015.1 The effects of pharmacy closures on medication use are not well understood. Anticonvulsants are a protected class of Medicare drugs; plans must include them on formularies and have limitations on utilization management. Anticonvulsants are primarily indicated to treat epilepsy but are also used for neuropathic pain, migraine prophylaxis, and psychiatric disorders. Nonadherence has been linked to increased mortality and emergency department visits for epilepsy, and patients with untreated or undertreated neuropathic pain may experience worsening symptoms.2,3 This study examined the relationship between pharmacy closures and anticonvulsant prescription fills and number of days supplied in Colorado.