[Consumption of generic drugs in Area 1 of the Autonomous Community of Aragón].

OBJECTIVE

Assessing the economic impact that the only use of pharmaceutical products with genetic brand (Spanish Official Brand name or International Common Denomination) would have had in those cases where prescriptions and dispensations were made under fantasy brand names.

DESIGN

Descriptive study.

SETTING

All prescriptions dispensed during 1996 in area I of INSALUD, in the Autonomous Community of Aragón, both from primary care center physicians and hospital specialist doctors.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Daily defined doses were used in order to achieve homogeneity due to the wide variety of commercial presentations. Results are expressed in percentages of the total expenditure (using the prices for the final customer). In 1996, 1.14% of the pharmaceutical expenditure was spent in generic drugs in our Area. Brands name drugs for the same active principles accounted for a 7.68% of the total expenditure. Thus, 8.82% of the pharmaceutical budget was spent in these selected active principles. If all the prescriptions had been written using the generic drugs, percentages between 0.86% and 1.67% of the total expenditure would have been saved.

CONCLUSIONS

Promoting the use of generic products would increase the efficiency of public money since the efficacy and quality of treatment would be ensured at a lower cost. This is one of the feasible ways of getting a rational expenditure in pharmaceutical products, which account for an important percentage in the total amount of money devoted to health care.