Affiliations: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa 13133, Jordan. E-mail: faris.dahiyat@hu.edu.jo
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Generic drugs are considered the best alternative for the high cost
originator brand drugs as they have the same quality, safety, and efficacy
at reduced cost. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to encourage patients and health care
providers to use generic medicines in Jordan by providing a
pharmacoeconomic evidence for the expected savings of using generic
medicines instead of originator medicines. Furthermore, this study insists
on the importance of, and the need for, adaptation of Pharmacoeconomic
analysis to the situation in Jordan, and explores how to promote greater
prescribing of generic drugs for patients with chronic diseases. METHODS: Thirty-seven Active ingredients from different therapeutic classes were included
according to predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria; drugs used for chronic
diseases were included whereas controlled drugs or sustained release or
combination or parenteral drugs were excluded. The prices of originator
drugs and all available generics were collected. As we are comparing brands
with generics, cost minimisation analysis was used to show ``cost savings''
of one treatment over another that achieve the same level of benefit at
reduced cost. Moreover, policy recommendations to encourage the use of
generics were suggested. RESULTS: The average price saving from using average price generics available instead
of originator drugs in Jordan was 32.68%, the maximum saving 74.29%,
more saving could be achieved if we used the lowest available generics
instead of average available generics price. CONCLUSIONS: This article insists on the importance of promoting the use of generics in
Jordan by providing a pharmacoeconomic evidence and applicable simple policy
recommendations, such as changing pharmacy remuneration, introduction of
generic prescribing and allowing generic substitution, implementing of
alternative product list with prices, activating electronic prescribing and
providing education and awareness programs targeting health providers and
publics.