title: Demand-side policies to encourage the use of generic medicines: an overview.
abstract: Demand-side policies to encourage the use of generic medicines are important to increase their use. A plethora of different demand-side policies has already been initiated by European governments, thereby targeting physicians, pharmacists and patients. This review aims to give an overview of the different demand-side policies which governments have at their disposal and to evaluate their impact on the use of generic medicines. Positive knowledge and perceptions of physicians, pharmacists and patients of generic medicines are necessary prerequisites to increase the use of generic medicines and governments should initiate policies to achieve this. These policies should be combined with policies to increase their financial responsibility to the healthcare system and policies to facilitate the prescribing of generic medicines.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical & Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, O&N 2, PO Box 521, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. pieter.dylst@pharm.kuleuven.be
authors: Pieter
authors: P
authors: Dylst
authors: Arnold
authors: A
authors: Vulto
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Simoens
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive
chemical_list: D016568:Drugs, Generic