title: Initiatives in South Africa to enhance the prescribing of generic proton pump inhibitors: findings and implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been multiple reforms in South Africa to conserve resources including policies to enhance generic use, such as compulsory generic substitution and copayments. However, there are concerns with the limited knowledge of their impact.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to determine utilization and expenditure of different proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective drug utilization study was conducted on a prescription database of a medical aid administrator in 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The limited prescribing of single-sourced PPIs accounted for 21.5% of total prescriptions. The limited use of originators omeprazole and lansoprazole accounted for 1.8 and 1.4% of total prescriptions for the molecule, respectively. Generic prices accounted for 36-68% of the originator in 2010. Patients received on average 2.91 PPI prescriptions during the year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Policies to enhance prescribing of generics appear working. Opportunities exist to further lower generic prices given low prices in some European countries.
authors.affiliation: Drug Utilization Research Unit (DURU), Department of Pharmacy, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Truter
authors.forename: Sushma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shankar
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennie
authors.forename: Menno van
authors.initials: Mv
authors.lastname: Woerkom
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Godman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D064747:Lansoprazole / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016568:Drugs, Generic; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D064747:Lansoprazole; D009853:Omeprazole
keywords: Europe; PPIs; South Africa; drug utilization; generics; prices