Perception of Medical Professionals and Pharmacists towards Generic and Branded Drugs

Abstract

Background: Doctors and pharmacist are in a state of dilemma at the time of prescribing and dispensing
medicines. The Government of India is pushing the adoption of generic medicines to lower down the cost of
treatment and the perception of the medical practitioners and the pharmacists can play a crucial role in the
implementation of this initiative.
Aim and Objective: To understand the factors affecting the prescription of drugs among medical professionals.
To understand the factors affecting the dispensing of drugs, To study determinants of prescription of generic
drugs.
Methodology: A study is been conducted on doctors and pharmacist were the sample size was taken as 100,
it is a purposive study where the data is been collected through questionnaires. Out of 100 participants, 50
were Doctors and 50 were pharmacist. The analysis of the data is performed in SPSS V20.
Result: Out of 100, About 59% of participants perceived that generic drugs are as effective as original drugs.
However, interestingly, when they were asked if they ever experienced the difference in quality between the
two, 23% participants believed that the generic drugs were not as efficacious Only 64% of the participants
agreed that generic drugs are as safe as original drugs. About 46% of participants agreed that most of the
generic drugs lack the quality of their branded counterparts. About 70% felt that more confidence should be
built among patients about generic medicines. A majority of physicians and pharmacist 61% considered the
socioeconomic status of the patient while prescribing medicines. About 24% of the doctors and pharmacist
think that generic drug hasa high side effect compare to branded drug, whereas 64% says that the generic
drug does not have much side effect. About 47% of the doctors and pharmacist think that they have high
efficacy were as 47% thinks that the efficacy level of the drug is low compare to the branded drug.”
Conclusion: This study found a gap between knowledge score and generic prescription practices. This can
be improved by the combined approach of Information, Education and Communication (IEC).Generic Medicine, Branded Medicine, Pharmacist, Doctor.
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