Why choose generic medicines initiative launched in Australia

Genéricos/General | Posted 29/03/2013 post-comment0 Post your comment

The Australian Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA) and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia announced on 22 March 2013 the launch of a joint initiative: Why choose generic medicines?

Australia flag V13C29

Although the Pharmacy Guild of Australia has in the past not agreed with calls for ‘enforced’ generics substitution, the organization is supporting this joint initiative with GMiA to encourage substitution.

The initiative was announced by GMiA at the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Annual National Conference (APP2013), which was held on 21–24 March 2013. GMiA CEO, Ms Kate Lynch said that ‘the initiative is all about delivering high quality information to the consumer by their pharmacist. The GMiA and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia have developed important materials for pharmacists to use in their pharmacy with their customer.’

Australians are already very positive towards generic medicines, according to Ms Lynch, with 82% of Australians agreeing that a generic medicine is ‘a product I know and trust’ [1].

However, despite this positive attitude, Australians still prefer brand-name drugs rather than generic medicines (2:1), revealing a discrepancy between patients having a favourable view of generics and actually choosing a generic medicine.

Australians are also more likely to think brand-name rather than generic medicines are ‘high quality’ (94% brand-name, 81% generics) and ‘meet Australian standards of safety and effectiveness’ (92% brand-name, 79% generics).

This initiative has therefore been launched to provide pharmacists with high quality information that they can give to their patients in order to inform them about generics and encourage their use. Ms Lynch concluded that ‘the more quality information that consumers have about generic medicines, the more likely they are to choose a generic medicine.’

Related articles

Australia moves towards pricing policy for biosimilars

Australia cuts prices of 13 more drugs on PBS

Reference

1.  GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Australian patients ‘very positive’ about generics [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2013 Mar 29]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Reports/Australian-patients-very-positive-about-generics

Permission granted to reproduce for personal and educational use only. All other reproduction, copy or reprinting of all or part of any ‘Content’ found on this website is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the publisher. Contact the publisher to obtain permission before redistributing.

Source: PSI

comment icon Comments (0)
Post your comment
Related content
Empresas farmacéuticas en Argentina
150 AA010692
Genéricos/General Posted 08/07/2022
Most viewed articles
Sobre GaBI
INICIO/Sobre GaBI Posted 06/08/2009
EU guidelines for biosimilars
EMA logo 1 V13C15
INICIO/Directrices Posted 08/10/2010