502 The effects of removing the requirement for prior reimbursement approval on anticoagulant use in Ireland: A cross sectional study

Prior approval for reimbursement is a cost containment policy, aimed at reducing demand. It has been used temporarily in the Irish Healthcare system to deal with the initial financial challenges posed by the shift in use towards the Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) (apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban and dabigatran) from warfarin. Improved safety of DOACs use was a secondary aim of this policy. The use of prior approval policies is increasing in Ireland but studies assessing their effectiveness are limited.