Generic Medicines: Assessment Of The Knowledge And Perceptions Of Medical Specialists And General Practitioners In Malaysia
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Date
2015-03
Authors
KUMAR, ROHIT
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Abstract
In recent years, pharmaceutical expenditure has grown faster than many of the other
components of healthcare spending. Globally, pressure to manage pharmaceutical
spending has led governments and non-governmental health organizations to
promote the use of generic drugs. In 2012, Malaysia’s out-of-pocket (OOP)
expenditure on healthcare was 79% of private sector spending and it was twice the
high income countries out-of-pocket payments (OOPPs), which average at 37% of
private sector expenses. To bring down the OOPPs and reduce financial burden on
patients in private healthcare sector, it is highly recommended to promote the use of
generics. In Malaysia, generic drug prescribing has become a common practice in
public hospitals. However, the trend in private medical centres of Malaysia seems to
be different. The aim of this study was to investigate Malaysian private medical
centers physicians´ knowledge, and perceptions regarding substituting generic
medications for originator products. Mix methods research design was adopted for
this work. Under qualitative study, eighteen medical specialists from different
medical fields were interviewed. The majority of specialists were positive about
generic substitution but cynical about their quality in terms of efficacy and safety for
some drug categories. Physicians preferred to see the results of bioequivalence
conducted by generic manufacturers and also preferred them to garnish it with some
small scale community based pharmacodynamic studies. The quantitative study was
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a nationwide survey involving physicians from private medical centres in Malaysia.
In total, 263 responses were received from different hospitals of Peninsula and East
Malaysia. The responses received comprised of participation from small to big
hospitals chains of Malaysia. Various significant associations were observed among
physicians´ demographic particulars and their knowledge and perceptions about
generics. Further, an educational interventional study was carried out to evaluate the
impact on the knowledge and the perceptions of physicians towards generic
medicines. A slight improvement in knowledge was observed after the intervention,
which was supported by various studies, assuring a change in behaviour, whenever
the knowledge about generics was provided. The success of generics in private
medical centres in Malaysia depends on changing the perceptions of these
physicians about generic drugs. In addition to implementation of generic drug usage
policy for private hospitals in Malaysia, this can also be achieved through improved
marketing and promotion of generic products. The doctors serving in the public
hospitals in Malaysia might have a better understanding about generic medications,
than those who are practising in the private sector, since most of the medications
dispensed by government hospitals are generics. In the private sector, academic
detailing can help to improve the knowledge of physicians about generic medicines.
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Keywords
Generic Medicines: Assessment Of The Knowledge And Perceptions Of Medical Specialists , And General Practitioners In Malaysia