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Generics and biosimilars Initiative

Building trust in cost-effective treatments

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Enfoque por país/Italy | Posted 25/05/2012 0 Post your comment

First posted: 25 May 2012

The Italian pharmaceutical market is poorly developed* in the use of generic medicines.

In Italy, the limited volume of generic medicines consumption in combination with low medicine prices has undermined the economic viability of the generic medicines market [1].

The market share of generic medicines by volume in 2010 was only 11.7%, representing 5.8% in value [2]. Therefore, the generics presence in Italy could be improved, and the following are some ideas that could help to increase the generics market share in Italy.

Recommendations

To kick start the generics market, set the reference price at a higher level, such as that of the most expensive generic medicine, and then once the market matures, lower to the average price of generic medicines in the reference group [1].
Teach students at medical school to prescribe by international non-propietary name (INN).
Stop physicians prohibiting generics substitution without a valid medical reason.
Eliminate the pharmacist incentive to dispense originator medicines, and boost physician prescribing of generics through policy [1].
Increase trust by patients in generic medicines through information campaigns.

*In countries with developing generic medicines markets, market share of generic medicines does not surpass 40% [3].

References

1. Simoens S, De Coster S. Sustaining Generic Medicines Markets in Europe. April 2006. [monograph on the Internet]. Brussels, Belgium, European Generic medicines Association (EGA) [cited 2012 May 11]. Available from: www.egagenerics.com/doc/simoens-report_2006-04.pdf

2. Assogenerici. Il Farmaco Generico: Numeri e Dimensioni Agoiornamento Giugno 2010 [The Generic Drug: Numbers and Dimensions June 2010] [page on the Internet]. Italy, Assogenerica [cited 2012 May 11]. Italian. Available from: www.assogenerici.org/articolihome/cs/AGGIORNAMENTO_DATI_ANNO_1°_SEMESTRE_2010.pdf

3. Simoens S. International comparison of generic medicine prices. Curr Med Res Opin. 2007;23(11):2647-54.