Consumer perception on generic medicines in Basrah, Iraq: Preliminary findings from a qualitative study

Sharrad, Adheed Khalid

doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2009.12.003

Cited by 35 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…30,[34][35][36]39,41,70 For example, only 51.6%, 68.4%, 32.5%, 36.4%, and 28.3% of participants in New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor), Jamaica, and Malaysia (Penang), respectively, were familiar with the term or had heard of it. [34][35][36]39,70 On the other hand, in a few countries, such as Portugal, all patients (100%) knew the term "generic medicine" and were familiar with its meaning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, in Iraq (an Arabic-speaking country), Adheed and Hassali reported that medicine consumers used the term "Tejari" (commercial) medicine to describe generic medicines, while they used "Asli" (original) to describe brand medicines. 41 In Alabama, USA, patients defined and described brand medicines as "the real thing", "real drugs", "real medicine", and "regular medicines", but described generic medicines as the opposite of these terms, eg, "not real medicines" or "off brand from the real thing". 27 Further, in the study conducted by Thomas and Vitry in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Malaysia, participants described generic medicines as cheaper brands (51%), non-original and non-genuine (18%), or local medicine or a medicine made by a different company (18%), and few (13%) described it as "a different brand of medicine with the same content".…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of studies conducted across several countries, including Japan, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Iraq, Malaysia, and Norway, explored medicine consumers' understanding of the differences between generic medicines and brand medicines, and many reported a lack of knowledge among a high proportion of participants. 34,36,38,39,41,61,62 For example, in Japan, only 71.1% stated that generic medicines and brand medicines have the same active ingredients. The majority (53.7%) of patients had no idea whether the inactive ingredients are the same or not, while 12.5% wrongly believed they are the same.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…62 Similarly, in Iraq, most patients were not aware of the differences between brand and generic medicines in terms of their active ingredients. 41 Similarly, in Malaysia, when defining generic medicine, only 13% selected the option "a different brand of medicine with the same content". 36 On the other hand, in the UK study, 84% of participants reported that they are aware of the availability of different brands (ie, versions) of the "same medicine", 65 and almost the same percentage (78.2%) in Portugal claimed to be informed about generic medicines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, there is a need for education and interventions to better inform patients about the uses and benefits of generic medicines. 41 Toklu et al 42 conducted a study in Istanbul, Turkey, to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of community pharmacists, physicians, and patients towards generic medicines (only the results related to patients are reported here). In terms of efficacy, only 24% of patients indicated that generic medicines are not different to brand medicines, 53% indicated that some generic medicines are different, 7% felt that all generic medicines are different, and 14% had no idea about the difference.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patient knowledge, perceptions, and acceptance of generic medicines: a comprehensive review of the current literature

Alrasheedy¹,

Hassali²,

Stewart³

et al. 2014

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Background: Generic medicines have the same quality, safety, and efficacy as their counterpart original brand medicines. Generic medicines provide the same therapeutic outcomes but at a much cheaper cost, so are promoted in many countries to contain pharmaceutical expenditure and sustain the health care system. Thus, the perspective of patients and medicine consumers as end users of these medicines is an important factor to enhance the use and utilization of generic medicines. The objective of this paper is to review patients' and consumers' knowledge, perceptions, acceptance, and views of generic medicines in the current literature. Methods: An extensive literature search was performed in several databases, namely Scopus, PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Proquest, and the Wiley online library, to identify relevant studies published in the English literature for the period 1990-2013. Results: A total of 53 studies were included in the review, comprising 24 studies from Europe, ten from North America, six from Asia, five from Australia and New Zealand, five from the Middle East, one from Africa, one from Latin America, and one from the Caribbean region. A large body of literature has reported misconceptions and negative perceptions about generic medicines on the part of patients and medicine consumers. Moreover, although it is reported in almost all countries, the percentage of consumers who had such misconceptions varied from one country to another. However, in many countries, there was a meaningful percentage of patients who had negative perceptions and misconceptions about generic medicines. Moreover, such misconceptions and negative perceptions were reported as major obstacles to the use and acceptance of generic medicines among patients. Further, studies that focused on specific populations (eg, patients with epilepsy, psychosis, or renal disease) reported a more negative perception and more resistance to the use of generic medicines. The type of medical condition and its level of seriousness or severity, recommendations by health care professionals, price difference (ie, cost saving), previous experience of generic medicines, and knowledge/information about generic medicines were considered to be important factors that affect a patient's decision to use a generic medicine or a brand medicine. Conclusion:The results from this literature search show that patients and medicine consumers tend to prefer original brand medicines over generic medicines. Further, in many countries, there is still a considerable proportion of patients and consumers who lack adequate knowledge or have insufficient information about generic medicines. Thus, there is a need for educational interventions and activities to educate patients about generic medicines. It is also evident in the literature that health care professionals (physicians and pharmacists) play a key role in the promotion of generic medicines and in patients' acceptance of generic medicines and generic substitution. Hence, health care professionals need to play a more act...

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