title: Should Physicians be Encouraged to use Generic Names and to Prescribe Generic Drugs?
abstract: While using the brand names seems like a trivial issue at the outset, using these names is inherently problematic. Cardiovascular drugs remain the most commonly prescribed drugs by the physicians. The junior doctors are likely to introject practices of their seniors and consequently to reciprocate from the experiences learnt from their preceptors. Using the generic names may be one way to facilitate prescription of the generic drugs who have a better cost profile and similar efficacy than the more expensive branded drugs. In this editorial, we have outlined several arguments to suggest the importance of using the generic names in academic discussions and clinical documentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Duke University, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Haris
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Duke University, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Krasuski
mesh_terms: D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D016568:Drugs, Generic