General Perception Regarding The Generic and Branded Medicines among the Visitors of the Turaif General Hospital

Background: The utilization of generic drugs in Saudi Arabia is under development. Many studies concerning generic drugs and their utilization by the consumers and promotion by health care professionals have been conducted in Saudi Arabia. Most of these studies revealed general unawareness of generic medicines among the Saudi people. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the general perception regarding the generic medicines and branded medicines among the visitors of the Turaif general hospital. Methods: This cross‑sectional study was carried out from December 29, 2019, to January 23, 2020, at Turaif General Hospital, Turaif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was shared with the visitors (N = 527) of the hospital after their agreement, and the data were collected. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 16. Results: The results of this study revealed that more than 50% of the participants were unaware about generic medicines and branded medicines; preferred imported generic medicines over local generics; agreed that the imported generic medicines are of high quality, more effective, and expensive as well. However, almost 50% of the participants were not sure about the quality, efficacy, safety, price, and side effects of the branded medicine. Conclusion: It has been concluded that there is a need to provide awareness programs about branded medicine, imported generic medicine, and locally manufactured generic medicines. Keywords: Branded drugs, Generic drugs, Awareness, Turaif, Saudi Arabia.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Factors Influencing the Selection Student of Generic Medicine

Background: Generic replacements for branded medicines have become a typical practice among registered pharmacists all over the world. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the influence of the knowledge and attitudes of PharmD students and other factors on the selection of unbranded medicines.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted through Google Forms to collect data using self-reported questionnaires. The data was collected over a period of 3 months, from January to March 2021, among junior level pharmacy students who are currently undertaking a PharmD course at the King Saud University, College of Pharmacy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Results: The mean age of the students was 21.05± (SD = 1.03), majority of students 70.2% (n = 134) were able to define the term generic medicine, and about 65% (n = 123) were able to correctly define bioequivalence. More than half of the students, 56.5% (n = 108) lacked knowledge about the pharmacokinetic parameters of generic products. Meanwhile, the majority, 85% (n = 122), supported generics over branded medicines, and about 66% (n = 99) agreed that wider use of generic medicines would lead to less money required for the research and development of new pharmaceuticals.Conclusion: Findings revealed that most pharmacy students possess sufficient knowledge of generic medicines, although knowledge in some aspects remains lacking.

A Comprehensive Review on the Drug: Fenofibrate

Fenofibrate is currently used as antihyperlipidemic drug, which has a direct effect on lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL (Low-Density Lipids), VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipids) levels along with raising the level of HDL (High-density Lipids) in the blood. It also plays a significant role in insulin resistance metabolic disorder. This drug is mainly used for controlling diseases related to lipids like hypercholesterolemia, severe hypertriglyceridemia and dyslipidaemia. Along with statins, it significantly controls the level of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. It belongs to the group of drugs called 'Fibrate'. Fenofibrate was patented in 1969. In 1974, it was synthesized as a derivative of clofibrate and launched at the French market. It was marketed in 1975. In 2017, it was available as a generic medicine. Presently this API is being marketed in around 85 countries all over the world. Fenofibrate is a BCS Class-II drug having poor water solubility. The poor aqueous solubility of this drug causes low bioavailability and limited permeability through the GIT membrane. This API degrades at higher temperatures and in a humid environment, with one of the resultant degradation products being fenofibric acid. In the present review, we have discussed the historical development, pharmacology, analytical profile with its physicochemical properties and ongoing research scenario on this API.

Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Generic Substitution in China: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey

The purpose of this study is to investigate physicians’ knowledge, attitudes and practice of generic medicine substitutions in China. We conducted a cross-sectional online questionnaire survey on physicians from secondary or tertiary hospitals in China from 2020 December to 2021 April. Descriptive statistical and ordered logistic regression were used for analysis. A total of 1225 physicians were included in the final analysis, and only 330 (26.94%) of them scored 4 or above in the knowledge part, which means that the physicians have a good knowledge of generic substitutions. Of the total, 586 (47.83%) agreed or strongly agreed that generic drugs could be substituted for originator drugs and 585 (47.75%) always or often prescribed generic medicines. The percentage of physicians with a positive attitude toward or that practice prescribing generic medicine is below 50%, which needs to be improved in China. Physicians’ knowledge, their attitude toward generic substitution, if familiar with the policy of generic substitution, and incentives for prescribing generic medicines are influencing factors for the practice of generic substitution. Our studies show that the practice of generic substitution by physicians could be improved by several measures in China. We suggested that the physicians should be taught more about the bulk-buy policy and the generic-originator equivalence evaluation policy. Moreover, government incentives to promote generic substitution should be established. Our study also suggested that physicians with less working experience and female physicians should learn more about generic substitution.

Patients’ beliefs towards generic medicines in the United Arab Emirates

Objectives: Patients play an important role in activating the generic medicine policy as their acceptance of it reported as an essential factor. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the beliefs of patients in the UAE towards generic medicines and to identify the factors affecting their beliefs towards generic medicines. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1st March and 1st June 2016. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 600 adult patients in Ajman and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences® (IBM SPSS) version 21 for Windows. Results: 500 patients participated in this study. The findings of this study found that 44% of patients understand the difference between generic and branded medicines. The majority of patients in this study didn’t know that the efficacy and safety of generic medicines are the same as branded medicines. The majority of patients in this study were not familiar with the similarity and differences between generic medicines and branded medicines. Conclusion: The current study found that the patients had negative beliefs towards generic medicines. The findings of this study found that the following factors contributed to the patients’ beliefs towards generic medicines: gender, age, education level, and monthly income.

Pengembangan Sistem Pakar Berbasis Android untuk Menentukan Obat Generik pada Penyakit Kulit Menggunakan Metode Forward Chaining

Skin disease can be suffered by all people and ages as a common disease. In general treatment for people with skin diseases is by consulting to medical experts and asking for a medicine prescription. However, by utilizing current communication technology, sufferers are able to get good information about skin diseases. The expert system for the diagnosis of skin diseases has been done before. However, the expert system is built based on web and desktop, so it is less flexible in use, moreover in supporting self assistance for the skin disease sufferer. Therefore, this study aims to develop an Android-based expert system that can help diagnose skin diseases in humans as well as provide recommendations of generic medicine as first aid. The expert system developed by implementing the Forward Chaining (FC) method as an inference technique. This research was conducted in five phases, namely data collection, analysis system, design system, implementation, and testing. The knowledge base in this expert system includes 39 types of skin diseases, 83 symptoms, 16 types of generic drugs, 150 lines rules of skin disease diagnosis, and 39 lines recommendations of generic drug.