The report, which was carried out by economic research and consulting firm Nosima, found that the mistrust and prejudice towards generics of the past has been overcome. The problem now is to change habits, especially when it comes to prescribing generics.

Italy lacked strong pro-generic policies in the past and has negative attitudes towards generics among doctors have kept the generics share of the market low [1].

Italy, despite being one of Europe’s largest pharmaceutical markets [2], has one of the smallest generics markets compared to other European countries. In 2011, only 13.5% of prescriptions in Italy were prescribed as generics, accounting for 6.7% of the market value [3]. Although the generics share, according to the Nosima report, has now increased to 30% of the total sales of off-patent medicines, obstacles still remain.

In fact, if all the drugs that the Italians buy directly (OTC, SOP C band medications and prescription) were generics, the savings to patients would amount to Euros 1.4 billion each year. This in turn would fuel an increase in consumption in other sectors of the Italian economy, which, in principle, would be worth about Euros 700 million. Furthermore, this conclusion is based only on patent expiries expected from now to 2020, which affect medicines that now generate revenue of Euros 2.1 billion.

Introduction of an export exception allowing generics to be manufactured in the EU during the supplementary protection certificate (SPC) for export to countries where no patent or SPC protection is in place was a key measure to ensure greater industrial development in the country. This, according to the report, could generate an increase in turnover of the national industry of up to Euros 540 million and create 20,000 additional jobs in manufacturing and suppliers.

The Nomisma report entitled ‘The system of generic medicines in Italy – scenarios for sustainable growth’ was presented in the Senate of the Italian Republic in the presence of Enrique Häusermann, President of Assogenerici, AIFA (the Italian medicines agency), the Ministries of Health and Economic Development, as well as members of different committees of the two Houses of the Italian Parliament.

Related article
Italian physicians’ negative attitude to generics

References
1.  Pisani J, Bonduelle Y. Opportunities and barriers in the biosimilar market: evolution or revolution for generics companies? [monograph on the Internet]. Brussels, Belgium, European Generic medicines Association (EGA); 2006 [cited 2015 Jun 5].
2.  Espicom. Italy generics market intelligence report. March 2006.
3.  Assogenerici. Il Farmaco Generico: Numeri e Dimensioni Agoiornamento Agosto 2011. [The generic drug: numbers and dimensions. August 2011] Italian. [homepage on the Internet]. [cited 2015 Jun 5]. Available from: www.assogenerici.org/articolihome/AGGIORNAMENTO_DATI_AGOSTO_2011.pdf

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