The three selected self-report scales may assist transplant professionals in detecting nonadherence. However, these scales were only validated in patients with HIV. Although HIV shares similar characteristics with transplantation, including the importance of taking and timing of medication, further validation in transplant populations is required.

Summary Rising healthcare costs promote the generic substitution among patients because it is identifiable costs. A key concern is that patients should be involved in the decision of switching. The aim of this study was to examine renal transplant patients’ views on generic substitution in the UK. A total of 163 renal patients were surveyed using 36 multiple‐choice questions at Barts and The London Renal Transplant Clinic, in the UK. Transplant recipients over 18 years, able to read and write English and willing to fill in the questionnaire were targeted; 84% of patients were conscious of the availability of generic medicines, 70% understood the terms “generic” and “branded” in relation to medicines and 54% were aware of generic substitution practice. However, 75% did not know if they were taking generics and 84% felt that generics are not equivalent or only equivalent sometimes and they were uncertain that generics had the same quality as branded medicines. Moreover, many patients admitted that they would not accept the generic substitution of ciclosporin when become available in the UK. A number of factors such as patients’ education, knowledge, severity of the disease, efficacy of generic medicines and patients’ involvement in decisions regarding their health appear to drive patients’ attitudes towards generic substitution.

This is the final article in a three-part education series on renal transplantation, which addresses the specialist knowledge required in the long-term management of the people undergoing renal transplantation. The first article in this series (Murphy F., Trevitt R., Chamney M. et al. (2011). Patient health and well-being while waiting for renal transplantation: Part 1. Journal of Renal Care 37(4), 224-231) addressed patient health and well being while waiting for a renal transplant. The second article (Trevitt R., Dunsmore V., Murphy F., Piso L., Perriss C., Englebright B. & Chamney M. (2012) Pre- and post-transplant care: nursing management of the renal transplant recipient: Part 2. Journal of Renal Care 38(2), 107-114) examined pre- and post-operative care and management.

No abstract