Safety Of Generic Medicines Research Articles

A nationwide survey exploring physicians’ and pharmacists’ knowledge, awareness and perceptions regarding generic medicines in China

BackgroundGeneric medicines substitution is an important means to control rapid growth of pharmaceutical expenditures for the healthcare system in China. Acceptance and utilization of generic medicines is highly influenced by healthcare providers’ perceptions. This study aimed to compare the knowledge, awareness and perceptions of generic medicines between physicians and pharmacists in China.MethodsWe used an online, cross-sectional survey across China. The questionnaire explored four sections: demographic characteristics, assessment of the participants’ knowledge and awareness of generic medicines, perceptions of generic medicines and generic substitution practices. Chi-square or Mann–Whitney-U tests were applied to compare differences between physicians and pharmacists. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.ResultsA total of 1644 physicians and 4187 pharmacists participated. Most physicians (82.8%, n = 1362) and pharmacists (89.8%, n = 3760) correctly identified the definition of generic medicines. A similar percentage of physicians and pharmacists agreed that approved generic medicines are as effective (64.1% vs 68.2%) or safe (63.8% vs 69.1%) as brand-name medicines. Most physicians and pharmacists (67.6% vs 71.0%) supported the policy of generic substitution. In practice, 79.4% (n = 1305) of physicians reported that they had prescribed generic medicines. More than 78% of respondents reported an obvious increase in the number of generic medicines prescribed in their medical institutions. The majority of physicians and pharmacists identified lack of trust regarding efficacy and safety of generic medicines and the difficulty of changing patients’ preference as top challenges in generic substitution.ConclusionsBoth physicians and pharmacists surveyed had adequate knowledge of generic medicines, and hold positive attitude towards generics and generic substitution. Efficacy and safety are key factors related to prescribing or dispensing generic medicines. Various policies and regulations should be taken to encourage successful generic substitution.

Perceptions of efficacy and safety of generic medicines in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract Background Generic medicines are bioequivalents to brand-name medicines, and compelling evidence for the safety and efficacy of generic medicines exists. However, negative perceptions about generic medicines can potentially reduce adherence to prescribed therapy and thereby efficacy of the treatment. Purpose To describe patients' perceptions of generic medicines after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and to investigate the association between perceptions and sociodemographic and clinical factors. Furthermore, we sought to investigate if these perceptions change over time. Methods CONCARDPCI is a large-scale prospective multicentre cohort study on 3251 patients after PCI. The study was conducted between June 2017 and May 2020 at seven large referral PCI centres in Norway and Denmark. Clinical data, including invasive procedures and patient characteristics, were collected from the patients' medical records. Sociodemographic characteristics were obtained by self-report during index hospitalization after PCI. Postal or electronic questionnaires comprising questions regarding perceptions of generic medicines were distributed two (T1) and six (T2) months after discharge from hospital to included patients. The time intervals ensured that a sufficient amount of time had passed so that refill of prescriptions was necessary. To investigate perceptions of generic medicines and the associations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, logistic regression analysis was performed. Results Most patients were men (78%), married or living with a partner (75%), elderly (mean age 66 years, SD11, range 20–96 years), and 28% were admitted to hospital due to non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. At T1, 70% perceived generic medicines to be as effective, safe (68%), produce the same side effects (64%), and contain the same active ingredients as brand-name medicines (64%). Perceptions of generic medicines were similar at T2. No significant associations were found with age, marital status, living alone, taking ≥5 medications, or participation in cardiac rehabilitation. However, Danish patients (p&amp;lt;0.001), those with a higher education level (college/university≥4 years) (p=0.01), total household income &amp;gt;83,000 Euro (p=0.007), female gender (p&amp;lt;0.001), and history of coronary artery disease (p=0.048) had more positive perceptions of generic medicines. Conclusion Approximately one third of the patients had negative perceptions of generic medicines after PCI, and these negative perceptions do not seem to change substantially during the first six months after PCI. As negative perceptions of generic medicines have been found to be a barrier to medication adherence, improving patients' knowledge and confidence in generic medicines after PCI may be pivotal to reach treatment goals set forth by the 2018 ESC/EACTS Guidelines on myocardial revascularization. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): The Western Norway Health Authority

Patients’ beliefs towards generic medicines in the United Arab Emirates

Objectives: Patients play an important role in activating the generic medicine policy as their acceptance of it reported as an essential factor. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the beliefs of patients in the UAE towards generic medicines and to identify the factors affecting their beliefs towards generic medicines. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1st March and 1st June 2016. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 600 adult patients in Ajman and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences® (IBM SPSS) version 21 for Windows. Results: 500 patients participated in this study. The findings of this study found that 44% of patients understand the difference between generic and branded medicines. The majority of patients in this study didn’t know that the efficacy and safety of generic medicines are the same as branded medicines. The majority of patients in this study were not familiar with the similarity and differences between generic medicines and branded medicines. Conclusion: The current study found that the patients had negative beliefs towards generic medicines. The findings of this study found that the following factors contributed to the patients’ beliefs towards generic medicines: gender, age, education level, and monthly income.

Knowledge, Perception and Attitude Regarding Generic Medicines among Iraqi Physicians.

The study aim was to explore the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of Iraqi physicians regarding generic and locally manufactured medicines. A total of 124 physicians were involved in this cross -sectional study. The convenience sample was collected from five public hospitals in Baghdad. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and collected in-person. Fisher's Exact Test was used to measure the association between physician years of experience, gender and categorical (perception and knowledge) variables. Most respondent answers regarding the knowledge of generic medicines were incorrect. Only up to one-third of the participants knew that generic medicines are therapeutically equivalent to brand name medicines (26.6%), as safe as brand name medicines (34.7%) and required to meet similar safety standards as brand name medicines (12.1%). With respect to perception, many physicians had negative perceptions about generic medicines such as viewing generic medicines as lower quality (57.3%) and cause more side effects (41.1%) compared to brand name medicines. Regarding physician attitudes toward generic medicines, about two-thirds (64.5%) of the physicians were willing to prescribe low cost medicines; however, only about half (51.6%) of the physicians reported they offer generic medicines to their patients. Finally, 64.5% of the participants were not comfortable with pharmacist replacing prescribed brand with generic medicines. In general, Iraqi physicians have negative perceptions and attitudes about generic and locally manufactured medicines. Significant gaps were identified in the knowledge and perceptions among physicians regarding generic medicines especially in relation to efficacy and safety of generic medicines.

Evaluation of knowledge, attitude, and practice of generic drugs among intern doctors at a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: The increasing health-care expenses are a major concern for the health-care proving system in the world. As stated by the World Health Organization, in the majority of developing countries out of pocket expenses may go as high as 80% of total health-care expenditures. In developing countries like India, the generic medicines are not widely prescribed due to lack of knowledge and awareness regarding generic medicines in both prescribers and in patients. Understanding of prescriber’s attitude and perceptions regarding the quality, efficacy, and safety of generic medicines may help to identify important barriers for better generic prescribing. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of generic medicines among intern doctors at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted among intern doctors at a tertiary care teaching hospital using a questionnaire, consisting of questions related to knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding generic medicines. Data were analyzed by MS Excel. Results: A total of 105 (88%) interns responded to the questionnaire. Around 60% of interns agreed with that generic medicine can be used in place of innovator (patented) medicine. Among all the interns, 52.4% were aware of that generic medicine contains the same active ingredient as their counterpart innovator medicine. More than half of interns (55.2 %) were aware of Jan Aushadhi scheme launched by the Government of India. Around 69.5% of interns disagreed with that generic medicines cost less because they are inferior to innovator medicines. Majority of interns (88.6%) were of the opinion that there should be some training session to raise the knowledge and awareness about generic medicines. Around half of the interns (50.5%) had never switch a patient on innovator medicine to generic medicine. Only 1% was not in favor of supporting generic drug prescribing. Conclusion: Knowledge of intern doctors regarding concept and regulations about generic drugs is adequate. Although they prescribe a good number of generic drugs, concerns regarding quality, efficacy, safety, availability, and awareness are present among them. Hence, mass awareness programs and training sessions are required to address these concerns which may alter their prescribing behavior and can encourage for more use of generic medicines.

Physicians’ perceptions of generic medicine in Iran

The aim of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to evaluate Iranian physicians’ perception of generic medicines and evaluate its relationship with their demographic characteristics, as well as some other underlying factors. A self-administered questionnaire was used to evaluate the perceptions of physicians in Iran with regard to generic medicines. The questionnaire included three general questions covering physicians’ beliefs and attitudes toward generic substitution, and 18 questions relating to physicians’ perceptions about generic medicines with regard to their efficacy, safety, cost containment, patient acceptance, marketing, and the role of government. Respondents’ demographic characteristics and other background data were also collected. The analysis of 410 completed questionnaires indicated that >70 % of Iranian physicians prefer to prescribe generic medicines if they are assured that the generic products are equivalent to the brand name drugs. However, they do not believe that the safety and efficacy of generic and brand medicines are equivalent, especially when the medicine is produced domestically. Moreover, physicians mostly disagreed with the right of pharmacists to substitute generic medicines. According to the six dimensions of the administered questionnaire, the most important factor affecting the prescribing of generics is the government’s efforts in sharing evidence and training the public, followed by cost containment size, beliefs in the efficacy and safety of generic medicines, patient acceptance and marketing activities. In Iran, physicians, the main decision makers regarding drug selection, do not have positive perceptions relating to the efficacy and safety of generic medicines, especially with regard to domestically produced generics. Therefore, the government appears to have a very critical role in informing the public and health professionals on the safety and efficacy of generic medicines.