Effect of reimbursement restriction policy on the use of benzodiazepines in the Netherlands: an interrupted time series analysis

OBJECTIVES: Use of benzodiazepines has health risks. Reimbursement was restricted in the Netherlands from January 2009 onwards with the goal to reduce chronic use and healthcare expenditures. The aim of this study is to assess the initial and long-term effects of this policy on benzodiazepine use. DESIGN: Interrupted time series analysis, segmented regression models, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis. SETTING: A 10% random sample of benzodiazepine dispensings by outpatient pharmacies between January 2002 and August 2015 were obtained from the PHARMO database.... Mehr ...