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Over a seven-year period (2006 -2012), a US $ 77bn market in brand-name drugs will open to generic competition in the United States, dramatically expanding the opportunities to lower the costs of pharmaceutical care. To capitalise on this emerging market, benefi t plans will need highly effective strategies for increasing the use of generics in day-to-day clinical practice -including fi nancial incentives for plan members, expanded use of mail-order pharmacy, and vigorous efforts to communicate cost-savings opportunities to members and their physicians. Online cost comparison tools are an especially powerful vehicle for informing members about their options and motivating them to switch to lower-cost alternatives. At an industry level, maximising the generic market opportunity will require a more favourable regulatory framework and a realignment of incentives for new drug development.

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