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Generics/Research

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The ‘Wise List’ - a Swedish drug formulary

Generics/Research | Posted 08/07/2011

Research carried out by Lars Gustafsson and et al. [1] into the use and acceptance of a drug formulary used in Stockholm, Sweden, found that adherence to the ‘Wise List’ resulted in substantial cost savings due to increased use of cheaper generic drugs.

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Benefits and risks of generic substitution

Generics/Research | Posted 20/05/2011

According to the FDA, each year, Americans save an estimated US$8–10 billion by purchasing generic drugs rather than branded medications. These savings are, of course, the key advantage of generics. However, the very reason for these cost savings—the fact that generic drugs do not have to undergo the large, expensive clinical trials that are required for approval of branded drugs—gives rise to questions about the quality and safety of generics.

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Savings due to generic substitution in South Africa

Generics/Research | Posted 06/05/2011

A retrospective analysis of medical claims for antidepressants during 2004–2006 in South Africa calculated potential savings of 9.3% of the actual antidepressant cost over the study period.

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Compliance with generic drug use among Pakistani immigrants

Generics/Research | Posted 10/06/2011

Patients using antihypertensives, antidiabetics or cholesterol-lowering drugs were interviewed using a questionnaire in the study which investigated the perceptions of generic substitution among Pakistani immigrants in Oslo, Norway, and how this affected compliance with their long-term drug use and may be affected by confusion of generic drugs with counterfeit drugs [1].

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The benefits of generic substitution

Generics/Research | Posted 27/05/2011

Recent research carried out by Drs Lewek and Kardas, showed that generic drugs are equally as safe and effective as their brand-name equivalents. Patient compliance and cost were also found to be better with generics compared to brand-name drugs.

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Different routes for generics and brand-name drugs

Generics/Research | Posted 06/06/2011

Comparison of the route to market generics and brand-name drugs was discussed by Dr Lewek and Dr Kardas in their recent research paper on the benefits and risks of generic substitution.

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The status of generic substitution in South Africa

Generics/Research | Posted 29/04/2011

In South Africa only around 13% of the population live in what we would call ‘first world’ conditions. More than half the population (around 48 million people) live in developing world conditions according to researchers from the School of Pharmacy at the North-West University, South Africa.

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Generic substitution generates savings in South Africa

Generics/Research | Posted 20/05/2011

Savings of 9.3% over the 3-year study period could have been made with generic substitution of antidepressants according to research carried out by the School of Pharmacy at the North-West University, South Africa.

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Generic substitution rates in South Africa

Generics/Research | Posted 13/05/2011

Research carried out by the School of Pharmacy at the North-West University, South Africa, has shown that generic substitution rates for antidepressants increased between 2004 and 2006. Meanwhile antidepressant use decreased over the same period while the average cost decreased in 2005, but increased again in 2006.

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Bioequivalence of generic cyclosporine

Generics/Research | Posted 29/04/2011

A clinical trial in allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) recipients found that generic and branded cyclosporine could be considered interchangeable.

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Value-based pricing – the concept

Generics/Research | Posted 01/04/2011

The concept of value-based pricing (VBP) is outlined. A key purpose of the VBP system is to assess over time whether the drug has achieved its intended goal and justified its cost.

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Efficacy and tolerability of generic and branded atorvastatin

Generics/Research | Posted 18/03/2011

In a study carried out in Korean patients the efficacy and tolerability of generic and branded atorvastatin was evaluated and found to be similar in Korean patients at high risk for cardiovascular events.

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Generic substitution in Norway

Generics/Research | Posted 18/03/2011

Using a dataset extracted from the Norwegian prescription database containing all prescriptions written in the period January 2004 to June 2007, an analysis was carried out on two brand-name and two generic statin drugs used to treat high cholesterol and showed that prices have a clear impact on generic substitution [1].

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Impact of generic substitution in Finland

Generics/Research | Posted 04/03/2011

Mandatory generic substitution was introduced in Finland on 1 April 2003. A recent study compared the impact of generic substitution on both originator and generic pharmaceutical companies in Finland.

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Generic substitution causing confusion

Generics/Research | Posted 25/02/2011

How do customers and pharmacists really experience generic substitution? This is the question asked in a recent research article [1].

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Generic and branded acetylcysteine bioequivalent

Generics/Research | Posted 25/02/2011

A single-dose study of acetylcysteine 600 mg found that three tablets of 200 mg of the generic formulation given orally were bioequivalent to a single 600 mg tablet of the branded drug.

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The clinical equivalence of brand-name beta-blockers and their generic counterparts

Generics/Research | Posted 21/01/2011

The healthcare systems of the world are all under pressure to reduce costs and using generic substitution for the initially prescribed, more expensive equivalents is an obvious area to investigate. However, as a report reiterated in 2010, treatment decisions should not be based on economic grounds alone, for this would not be in the patient's best interest and would therefore be unethical. What is needed is an opinion based on the evidence available regarding therapeutic equivalence [1].

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The rise in power of generic drugs

Generics/Research | Posted 14/01/2011

With shrinking pipelines, the impending expiration of many drug patents, and the global economic downturn experienced in the last two years causing prescription payers to face budget cuts, generic drugs are becoming an increasingly large player in the economics of the global pharmaceutical industry.

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Generic or brand-name drugs for cardiovascular disease? Does the evidence match current opinion?

Generics/Research | Posted 14/01/2011

Cardiovascular drugs constitute a large proportion of outpatient prescription drug spending.

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Are generic diuretics clinically equivalent to their brand-name counterparts for the management of cardiovascular disease?

Generics/Research | Posted 21/01/2011

Prescription costs are rising, mainly due to brand-name drugs recouping their investment during the period of patent protection and market exclusivity. For this reason, many payers and prescribers encourage use of the cheaper generic versions [1]. This has been found to have another positive consequence, namely the increased accessibility to prescription treatments and an increased compliance with drug regimens, particularly in the case of chronic conditions [2, 3].