Perception toward generic drug products: A cross-sectional study among undergraduate pharmacy students of the University of Nigeria

Abstract

Background Ever-rising cost of healthcare in resource-limited countries necessitates the use of generic medications. In Nigeria, no study has assessed the perception of student pharmacists about generic medications. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the perception of pharmacy students toward generic medicines. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 12-item questionnaire among 241 pharmacy students of the University of Nigeria. The instrument was distributed to and completed by penultimate and final year pharmacy students. Descriptive statistics was used to present students’ characteristics and responses. Chi-square test was used to determine an association between perception of generic medicines and the students’ socio-demographic variables. P values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. Results More than 60% of the respondents agreed that branded and generic medicines are bioequivalent and therapeutically equivalent. About half of the students (48.0%) preferred branded medicines to generic medicines in severe conditions. Age of respondents [χ2 (12) =24.780, p = 0.016] and place of residence [χ2 (4) = 9.523, p = 0.049] were significantly associated with the statement that branded medicines are required to meet higher safety standards relative to generic medications. Conclusion Our findings suggest a breach in perception among pharmacy students toward generic medications. Further educational interventions to improve students’ knowledge of generic medicines are recommended.