The underuse of generic medications is an important example of a situation where unnecessarily expensive therapies are used when less costly, equally effective options are available. In this best practice advice paper, the 管家婆心水论坛 recommends that clinicians prescribe generic medications, if possible, rather than more expensive brand-name medications. Review the recent Annals article, .
Use this paper to consider the following:
- What's the difference is between 鈥済eneric substitution鈥 and 鈥渢herapeutic interchange鈥 (the authors review this on page 42)?
- Have you ever heard a patient say that a generic drug did not work as well for them, or that it caused problems? How would you respond?
- Are there any situations in which you feel you should prescribe a brand-name formulation of a drug when a less expensive, generic version is available?
- Role-play with your classmates: pretend to be a patient who believes that a generic medicine was 鈥渘ot as strong鈥 or 鈥渄id not work as well for me.鈥 Perhaps express fear that the 鈥済eneric medicine鈥 is not as good. What do you think you should say, and how should you say it?