Objective: Assess 50 years old and over patients' attitudes towards and experiences of generic substitution of prescription medicines. A special focus on information on patient attitude to generic drugs provided by their general practitioners (GPs).
Methods: Prospective study of patients in 15 general practices and in 2 retirements home was surveyed using a self-questionnaire.
Results: Four hundred and forty patients were included. Four twenty eleven per cent of the patients stated that they knew of the difference between brand-name drugs and generics but only 57% knew it exactly in fact. Seventy seven per cent had received generics by their GPs; 45% reported to have received information from their physician. The study found that patients who report to have received information from their physician about generic substitution were more likely to have switch. Patient in retirement home more frequently refused substitution. Elderly patients (75 and more) were wrong with generics definition compared with others patients, and observed more adverse effects after switching (20% versus 9%--p=0.027); patients made more mistake using generics than brand-name drugs (15.5% versus 7%--p<0.005); two thirds of the patients (72%) were satisfied with switching, and 57% reported to want more information and 85% of them that it comes from their GPs.
Conclusion: Most of the patients are satisfied with generics. GPs are in an ideal position to inform their patients adequately about the equivalence of brand-name and generic drugs. Patient education is the best way to use generics in the future. More efforts must be devoted to provide adequate information to patients and GPs.