[The requirement to use the cheapest synonymous preparation--does it work as intended?].

A retrospective analysis of all prescriptions for hypersensitive drugs was undertaken at a pharmacy serving 20 general practitioners and 17 temporarily employed doctors. The analysis was carried out in 1992 over two three-month periods separated by an interval of five months. The Governmental regulations aimed at promoting use of the "cheapest synonymous drug" apparently had little impact on the doctors' prescriptions. During the 11 months concerned, the prescribed antihypersensitive drugs contained an increasing share of expensive alternatives with no documented ability to reduce cardiovascular morbidity or mortality.