title: A survey to determine the views of renal transplant patients on generic substitution in the UK.
abstract: Rising healthcare costs promote the generic substitution among patients because it is identifiable costs. A key concern is that patients should be involved in the decision of switching. The aim of this study was to examine renal transplant patients' views on generic substitution in the UK. A total of 163 renal patients were surveyed using 36 multiple-choice questions at Barts and The London Renal Transplant Clinic, in the UK. Transplant recipients over 18 years, able to read and write English and willing to fill in the questionnaire were targeted; 84% of patients were conscious of the availability of generic medicines, 70% understood the terms "generic" and "branded" in relation to medicines and 54% were aware of generic substitution practice. However, 75% did not know if they were taking generics and 84% felt that generics are not equivalent or only equivalent sometimes and they were uncertain that generics had the same quality as branded medicines. Moreover, many patients admitted that they would not accept the generic substitution of ciclosporin when become available in the UK. A number of factors such as patients' education, knowledge, severity of the disease, efficacy of generic medicines and patients' involvement in decisions regarding their health appear to drive patients' attitudes towards generic substitution.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK. m.al-ameri@qmul.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mubarak N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Al Ameri
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Whittaker
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Magdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaqoob
authors.forename: Atholl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000191:economics; D057915:Drug Substitution; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D016568:Drugs, Generic; D016572:Cyclosporine