Dive Brief:
- The American College of Physicians wants doctors to use generic drugs more often than they do now, even though they account for 88% of U.S. prescriptions.
- The reasons behind why physicians often prescribe more expensive brand-name drugs were addressed in a recent article in the group's journal, Annals of Internal Medicine.
- Reasons cited include physicians and patients who view generics as inferior, less effective and patients requesting brand-name drugs, which lead to potentially billions in lost savings, according to the published report.
Dive Insight:
Generic drugs account for less than 33% of the $325 billion spent each year on prescription drugs in the U.S. The report found many physicians who refer to drugs by their original brand name after generic versions become available may cause them inadvertently to prescribe more expensive drugs.
Relying more on generic drugs, the study authors said, could not only save money but also help some patients better adhere to treatment over time.
"Prescriptions for brand-name medications are almost twice as likely as those for generic therapies to be 'abandoned' (never picked up after being filled)," stated the authors. "Thus, greater use of generic drugs could result in long-term adherence to essential therapies."
Several recommendations by the researchers include providing physicians with free generic drug samples for patients and public awareness efforts to help change perceptions about generics and potentially increase their use.
The high costs of prescription drugs have been in the spotlight for some time and the Obama administration had a day-long meeting covering the topic just last week. Specialty drug costs are skyrocketing and a recent report says their average annual price exceeds the median U.S. household income, according to The Washington Post.