Uutiset-näyttösivun murupolku en
Media visibility and costs of new medicines under examination – what does the media highlight?
A study conducted by the University of Eastern Finland and Fimea found that the Finnish news media has given GLP-1 agonists used to treat obesity, such as semaglutide, a great deal of attention while many other new medicines have been ignored. Based on preliminary results, media visibility is not evenly divided between medicines intended for different indications, and the amount of visibility does not always correspond to such things as the user-specific costs of medicines or the prevalence of indications.
A joint research project between the School of Pharmacy at the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea examines the manner in which the media reports on new medicines. Media visibility of new medicines may have an impact on people’s perceptions of medicines, their decision-making concerning medicine use and the medicines to which public funding is allocated.
The study selected ten different therapeutic drugs for examination: GLP-1 agonists for the treatment of obesity, prostate cancer medicines, Alzheimer's medicines, ADHD medicines, migraine medicines, antidepressants, Duchenne muscular dystrophy medicines, multiple sclerosis medicines, medicines used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, and anticoagulants.
A total of 266 news articles both in online and print media discussed one or more of the examined medicines during the period 2013–2024. The majority, a total of 151 news items concerned GLP-1 agonists, especially semaglutide. The medicine group that was second most commonly reported on was prostate cancer medicines, which were discussed in 40 news articles. Of these, 39 discussed darolutamide.
The average total cost of most of the examined medicines reimbursed from health insurance exceeded EUR 1,000 per patient annually. The annual costs per patient of the most commonly reported on medicines, GLP-1 agonists, were approximately EUR 1,200 – EUR 1,300. Ataluren used for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy has the highest annual cost per patient, totalling approximately EUR 442,000. This medicine was discussed in five news items. Vortioxetine, which is used as an antidepressant, has the lowest patient-specific annual cost, totalling approximately EUR 300, and this medicine was discussed in two news items.
Of the medicines examined, vortioxetine also has the largest number of users, with an average of 57,000 users per year. For example, semaglutide had approximately 31,000 users per year, whereas ataluren has only had a few individual users in Finland.
The first results of the research project were presented at the FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, which was held in Copenhagen 31 August-3 September 2025. The results provide a reference for the indications of medicines that were highlighted in particular by Finland’s journalistic media, how much was reported on these medicines, and the user-specific costs of these medicines in Finland. The study examined the media visibility of medicines that have been granted market authorisation since 2014. The next phases of the study will focus on the content and means of communicating about new medicines in the media.
The study is funded by The Social Insurance Institution (Kela).
Enquiries:
Lasse Alajärvi, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, [email protected]
Leena Saastamoinen, Chief Researcher, Fimea, [email protected]