Several reasons underpin the implementation of formulary restrictions:
1. Cost Control: Healthcare costs are a significant concern for both public and private sectors. By restricting access to high-cost medications and promoting cheaper alternatives, formulary restrictions help manage and reduce overall healthcare expenditures.
2. Clinical Effectiveness: Formulary restrictions can ensure that only clinically effective medications are used. This can be particularly important in preventing the use of drugs that are not evidence-based or that have not demonstrated significant benefits over existing treatments.
3. Public Health Goals: Sometimes, formulary restrictions are implemented to support broader public health goals, such as reducing the misuse of antibiotics to combat antibiotic resistance or controlling the availability of opioids to address the opioid crisis.
