Why Doctors Are Being Urged to Prescribe Generics
Doctors are being strongly encouraged to prescribe generic drugs to their patients in order to improve their health–and their wealth. (Stocksy)
In a paper recently published by the Annals of Internal Medicine, internists and medical specialists from the American College of Physicians examined and outlined a number of factors involved with generic and brand name drugs, such as the use of generics compared to brand name versions, how the use of generics influences adherence and whether brand names and generics have similar clinical effects.
And here’s what they discovered:
Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes were prescribed brand name drugs 23 percent to 45 percent of the time when identical generic versions were available. As a result, Medicare could have saved approximately $1.4 billion for these patients alone.
Overall, the use of generic drugs could reduce $325 billion spent annually in the U.S. on prescription meds.
Higher out-of-pocket costs are the reasons why brand name drugs are nearly twice as likely to be left at the pharmacy and why a percentage of patients have consistently been associated with lower rates of long-term medication adherence.
The majority of peer-reviewed evidence indicates that generic meds are as effective as the more costly brand name versions. Some evidence suggests a “lack of equivalence” in specific situations where the doctors agree the branded med is the clinically appropriate option.
“While the use of generic drugs has increased over time, clinicians often prescribe more expensive brand name drugs when equally effective, well proven, and less expensive generic versions are available,” said ACP President Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, in a press release. “The use of generic drugs is a High Value Care way to improve health, avoid harms and eliminate wasteful practices.”
The debate between generic versus brand name meds made the news earlier this month when a small study from New Zealand found that college students were under the impression that “designer” drugs were more effective, while the evidence showed otherwise.
Perhaps people are hesitant to go the generic route due to a rare occurrence that happened a few years ago, Andrew F. Leuchter, MD, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, tells Yahoo Health. “There was a very famous product recall which involved a generic for a common anti-depressant, “ he explains. “It turned out that the generic didn’t have the same characteristics as the brand, and some people were relapsing. And of course, the pharmaceutical companies will publicize those kinds of examples because it suits their purpose.”
He adds that while publicity and advertising is a protected free speech “that kind of speech may have an effect on people’s preferences.”
However, Dr. Leuchter agrees that generics are not simply a cheap imitation of the “real” medication. “There are certain classes of drugs for which I personally would hesitate to prescribe a generic drug, but in general, generics are safe and effective.”
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