Shankar P Ravi, Herz Burton L, Dubey Arun K, Hassali Mohamed A
Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Medicine, Xavier University School of Medicine, Oranjestad, Aruba.
Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
Indian J Pharmacol. 2016 Oct;48(Suppl 1):S29-S32. doi: 10.4103/0253-7613.193309.
Use of generic medicines is important to reduce rising health-care costs. Proper knowledge and perception of medical students and doctors toward generic medicines are important. Xavier University School of Medicine in Aruba admits students from the United States, Canada, and other countries to the undergraduate medical (MD) program. The present study was conducted to study the knowledge and perception about generic medicines among basic science MD students.
The cross-sectional study was conducted among first to fifth semester students during February 2015. A previously developed instrument was used. Basic demographic information was collected. Respondent's agreement with a set of statements was noted using a Likert-type scale. The calculated total score was compared among subgroups of respondents. One sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to study the normality of distribution, Independent samples -test to compare the total score for dichotomous variables, and analysis of variance for others were used for statistical analysis.
Fifty-six of the 85 students (65.8%) participated. Around 55% of respondents were between 20 and 25 years of age and of American nationality. Only three respondents (5.3%) provided the correct value of the regulatory bioequivalence limits. The mean total score was 43.41 (maximum 60). There was no significant difference in scores among subgroups.
There was a significant knowledge gap with regard to the regulatory bioequivalence limits for generic medicines. Respondents' level of knowledge about other aspects of generic medicines was good but could be improved. Studies among clinical students in the institution and in other Caribbean medical schools are required. Deficiencies were noted and we have strengthened learning about generic medicines during the basic science years.
使用通用药物对于降低不断上涨的医疗保健成本至关重要。医学生和医生对通用药物有正确的认识和观念很重要。阿鲁巴的泽维尔大学医学院招收来自美国、加拿大和其他国家的学生进入本科医学（MD）项目。本研究旨在调查基础科学MD学生对通用药物的知识和观念。
2015年2月对该校第一至第五学期的学生进行了横断面研究。使用了之前开发的工具。收集了基本人口统计学信息。使用李克特量表记录受访者对一组陈述的认同情况。比较了不同受访者亚组的计算总分。采用单样本柯尔莫哥洛夫-斯米尔诺夫检验研究分布的正态性，采用独立样本t检验比较二分变量的总分，对其他变量采用方差分析进行统计分析。
85名学生中有56名（65.8%）参与了研究。约55%的受访者年龄在20至25岁之间，为美国国籍。只有三名受访者（5.3%）给出了监管生物等效性限度的正确值。平均总分是43.41（满分60分）。各亚组之间的分数没有显著差异。
在通用药物的监管生物等效性限度方面存在显著的知识差距。受访者对通用药物其他方面的知识水平较好，但仍可提高。需要对该机构以及其他加勒比医学院的临床学生进行研究。已注意到不足之处，我们在基础科学阶段加强了对通用药物的学习。
