OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF DOCTORS KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE ABOUT GENERIC VERSUS BRANDED MEDICINES IN ALL GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OF A DISTRICT IN NORTHERN INDIA
Dr. Satish Kanwar*
ABSTRACT
Background: Generic medicine plays important role to achieve universal healthcare at affordable cost. Therapeutic outcome of generic drug is same as branded drug. Aim and Objectives: Assessment of Doctors knowledge, attitude and perception on generic versus branded medicines in all govt. Hospitals of a distt. in Northen India. Material and Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted among all doctors working in govt. Hospital in distt. Total 120 doctors participated and filled up the structured, validated questionnaires from October 2021 to December 2021 were analyzed. All data was entered and analysed in the Statistical computer program, SPSS 20 for Windows. Data was presented as frequency and percentage. Results: Total 120 participants, 64% male and 37% were female. Majority 80% of doctors were graduates (MBBS) while 21% were postgraduate degree holders (MD/MS/Diploma). 68.3% of doctors have knowledge of generic and branded medicines. 34.2% knew that generic drug contains the same active substance(s) as dose, efficacy, safety, bio equivalence as branded medicine 55% were aware of MCI act regarding prescription of generic medicine. 55.8 % were aware of availability of generic medicines in Jan Aushadhi stores and internal pharmacy of their hospital.Only 40% doctors prescribe generic medicines in all diseases including chronic. About 52.5% think that generic medicines are cheaper than branded because of substandard quality. 78.3% likes to promote generic drugs, 96.7% doctors agreed for training programme to increase the awareness regarding quality testing of generic medicines 63.3% think that govt. of India, medical insurance companies should give preference to generic medicines over branded while only 35.8% of the doctors believe that generic medicines take similar time to act in the body and produce similar adverse reactions as branded 63.3% doctors prescribe generic medicines if available in hospital. 15% of doctors were comfortable if drug chemist substitute generic medicines into branded .Only 10% doctors think that pharmaceutical companies influence prescription pattern to promote branded medicine through medical representatives by offering gifts .40% doctors believe that patients demand branded medicines because of medical reimbursement facilities given by Govt. of India Conclusion: There is need to improve awareness among doctors by conducting training programmes about the prevalent policies of Indian government on generic drugs by strengthening quality control, making them easily available in every govt. hospital pharmacy and Jan Aushadi Kendra at low cost to the public and by monitoring physicians prescription audit will promote generic medicines.
Keywords: Generic drugs, KAP- knowledge Attitude Practice, Prescription audit, Substitution, Government policy.
[Full Text Article]
[Download Certificate]
Impact Factor : 8.181 
