Generic medicines: Greek physicians' perceptions and prescribing practices.

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Market Analysis
• Health Policy Research
• Physician Prescribing Behavior

Background:

• Generic drug penetration in Greece is notably low within the EU.
• The current regulatory framework and lack of physician incentives hinder generic drug development and uptake.
• Physician prescribing habits for generic medicines in Greece require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the prescribing patterns of physicians in Greece concerning generic drugs.
• To identify key factors influencing physicians' decisions to prescribe generic versus original pharmaceutical products.

Main Methods:

• A national random sample of 1463 physicians was surveyed using a structured mail-in questionnaire.
• The sample was stratified by physician sex, medical specialty, and geographical region to ensure representativeness.

Main Results:

• A high response rate of 82.3% was achieved.
• Physicians generally hold positive views on generic drugs but predominantly prescribe original products.
• Physician age, perceptions of generic efficacy and effectiveness, and concerns about side effects significantly influence prescribing decisions.
• Patient factors like insurance coverage, income, and drug cost also play a role.

Conclusions:

• Greek physicians express willingness to substitute original drugs with generics, despite current prescribing habits.
• Implementing a comprehensive generic promotion policy, including supply-side and demand-side measures and educational initiatives, could increase generic prescribing.
• Targeted information provision to physicians during education and practice is crucial for policy development.