[Study of brands in the prescription of generic drugs at 6 health centers in 2001].
OBJECTIVE
To examine, through the analysis of the prescriptions billed during 2001, the brands of generic medicine prescribed by family doctors at 6 health centres in a primary care area.


METHODS
Descriptive study of medical prescription. SETTING. Primary care health area.Participants/context. 6 health centres: 3 urban and 3 metropolitan.


METHODS
Pharmaceutical prescription was analysed through the billing procedures for medical prescriptions, with the help of the administrator for GAIA pharmaceutical provision. 50% of the total generics billed in 2001, involving 7 active principles, were studied.


RESULTS
Statistically significant differences in the prescription at the 6 centres were only found in two (omeprazole and ranitidine) of the 7 active principles. There was wide variety in the prescription of the various brands for all active principles. By assessing the involvement of the pharmaceutical industry in health centres, it was found that the smallest and the most metropolitan centres had different patterns of brand prescription.


CONCLUSIONS
Determined brands of generic drugs were prescribed more than others. Active information on brands of generic medicines, coming from professional purveyors of information for family doctors, influenced prescription more than passive information. Doctors' lack of information on a brand of generic medicine from a particular laboratory was no obstacle to their being represented just the same on pharmaceutical billing.
Carmona Ibáñez
G
G
Servicio de Farmacia, Atención Primaria Area 8. Valencia. España. carmona_gis@gva.es
Guevara Serrano
J
J
D016527:Drug Costs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain
D016568:Drugs, Generic