Transition from Compounded to Monotherapy Intrathecal Pain Medication Reduces Drug Costs: Retrospective Analysis of Patient Billing Data.

Background: Chronic pain accounts for several hundred billion dollars in total treatment costs, and lost productivity annually. Selecting cost-effective pain treatments can reduce the financial burden on both individuals and society. Targeted drug delivery (TDD), whereby medications used to treat pain are delivered directly to the intrathecal space, remains an important treatment modality for chronic pain refractory to oral medication management.