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Objective: To explore and evaluate final year medical students' perceptions of and knowledge about generic medicines in Iraqi universities. Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted between 1 st June 2010 and 31 st July 2010 in six Iraqi public universities offering courses in medicine. Results:Responses were received from 546 medical students (response rate 69.6%).More than 60% of study participants thought that generic medicines are inferior, less effective and produce more side effects compared to brand name medicines. These findings highlight that final year medical students need a better understanding of the principles and concepts of bioavailability and bioequivalence if they are to contribute appropriately t o generic medicine use. Conclusions:This study clearly shows that medical students in Iraq lack of understanding on issues related to generic medicine use. In order to encourage the use of generic medicines in Iraq, medical students need to be receiving a better education on the issues relating to generic medicines and generic prescribing. This could be achieved by including the relevant topics in the current medical education curriculum.

Background: Diabetes associated with multiple metabolic problems in the body, including bone mineralization remodeling, osteoporosis and increase risk of fracture. Quercetin is natural flavonoids and according to animal studies; it has potent antioxidant, antidiabetic and protective effect against bone loss due to various causes. Objectives: explore effect of quercetin as nutritional supplement administrated orally on some bone mineralization bio-markers such as calcium, vitamin D and osteocalcin in Iraqi diabetic patients. Methods: interventional double-blind placebo randomized controlled study in which 40 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (age range 40-45) assigned randomly (using simple randomization) in either control (n=20) or study (n=20) group. Study group received Quercetin oral supplement as 500mg capsule once daily for three months. Venous blood was used for measuring Serum calcium, 25(OH) vitamin D and osteocalcin at base line and after 3 months. Results: After 3 months treatment with Quercetin; levels of Osteocalcin (28.1±7.6), serum calcium (9.2±1.8) and 25(OH) vitamin D (26.6±8.7) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than pretreatment values of osteocalcin (24.0±8.6); serum calcium (7.0±2.2) and 25(OH) vitamin D (20.6±7.7) and control values of serum calcium (6.8±2.0) and 25(OH) vitamin D (20.8±7.4), but not Osteocalcin (25.2±9.0). There was also significant correlation between use of quercetin; elevation of serum calcium and osteocalcin (r= 0.454; p= 0.032), indicating modulation in bone mineralization. Conclusions: Quercetin's use in diabetic patients may elevate Serum level of Calcium; 25(OH) vitamin D and may modulate bone mineralization represented by elevation of osteocalcin.

General objectiveTo evaluate the understanding and perceptions of generic medicines among final-year Doctor of Pharmacy students in Karachi, Pakistan.MethodsA 23-item survey instrument that included a question on the bioequivalence limits and Likert-type scale questions regarding the understanding and perceptions of generic medicines among the students was executed. Cronbach’s alpha was found to be 0.62.ResultsResponses were obtained from 236 final-year Doctor of Pharmacy students (n=85 from a publicly funded institute; n=151 from a privately funded institute). When comparing a brand-name medicine to a generic medicine, pharmacy students scored poorly on bioequivalence limits. More than 80% of the students incorrectly answered that all the products that are rated as generic equivalents are therapeutically equivalent to each other (P<0.04). Half of the students agreed that a generic medicine is bioequivalent to the brand-name medicine (P<0.001). With regard to quality, effectiveness, and safety, more than 75% of the students disagreed that generic medicines are of inferior quality and are less effective than brand-name medicines (P<0.001). More than 50% of the students disagreed that generic medicines produce more side effects than brand-name medicines (P<0.001).ConclusionThe current study identified a positive perception toward generic medicines but also gaps in the understanding of generic medicines. Pharmacy students lacked a thorough understanding of the concepts of bioequivalence. Pharmacy academia should address these issues, which will help build confidence in generic medicines and increase the generic medicine use in Pakistan.