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Evaluating community pharmacists' perceptions of future generic substitution policy implementation: A national survey from Malaysia

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  • Chong, Chee Ping
  • Hassali, Mohamed Azmi
  • Bahari, Mohd Baidi
  • Shafie, Asrul Akmal

Abstract

Objectives This study aims to provide baseline data to support the implementation of generic substitution policy in Malaysia by evaluating the community pharmacists' perceptions and opinions on generic substitution and current substitution practices.Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study involving the entire population of Malaysian community pharmacies (n = 1419) was undertaken using a self-completed anonymous mail questionnaire.Results A total of 219 responses were received for a response rate of 15.4%. Majority of the respondents (93.6%) agreed that pharmacists should have generic substitution rights. Almost all pharmacists (96.8%) viewed Poison Class C (pharmacist only medicine) as most suitable class of controlled medicines for substitution. About half (51.6%) of the pharmacists preferred a policy which allowed substitution on any prescription. The pharmacists prefer to consult the physician when substituting narrow therapeutic index medicines (88.1%) and prescription only medicines (51.3%). Less than 25.0% of the pharmacists routinely keep the medication records and follow-up the patients who received substitution. Monitoring the efficacy (79.2%) and patient's satisfaction with the generic medicines (74.9%) were the main reasons for following-up the patient if substitution occurs.Conclusions Malaysian community pharmacists are generally in favour of generic substitution policy implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Chong, Chee Ping & Hassali, Mohamed Azmi & Bahari, Mohd Baidi & Shafie, Asrul Akmal, 2010. "Evaluating community pharmacists' perceptions of future generic substitution policy implementation: A national survey from Malaysia," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 68-75, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:94:y:2010:i:1:p:68-75
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    1. Heikkila, Reeta & Mantyselka, Pekka & Hartikainen-Herranen, Kaisa & Ahonen, Riitta, 2007. "Customers' and physicians' opinions of and experiences with generic substitution during the first year in Finland," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(3), pages 366-374, August.
    2. Zaheer Ud Din Babar & Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim & Harpal Singh & Nadeem Irfan Bukahri & Andrew Creese, 2007. "Evaluating Drug Prices, Availability, Affordability, and Price Components: Implications for Access to Drugs in Malaysia," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(3), pages 1-10, March.
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    1. Mondelo-García, Cristina & Mendoza, Elvia & Movilla-Fernández, María-Jesús & Coronado, Carmen, 2018. "Perceptions of pharmacists and physicians on generic substitution in a financial crisis context in Northwestern Spain: A qualitative study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(12), pages 1316-1325.
    2. Kobayashi, Eriko & Karigome, Hiroshi & Sakurada, Tomoya & Satoh, Nobunori & Ueda, Shiro, 2011. "Patients' attitudes towards generic drug substitution in Japan," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 60-65, January.
    3. Alkhuzaee, Fahad S. & Almalki, Hamdan M. & Attar, Ammar Y. & Althubiani, Shoeab I. & Almuallim, Wassam Ali & Cheema, Ejaz & Hadi, Muhammad Abdul, 2016. "Evaluating community pharmacists’ perspectives and practices concerning generic medicines substitution in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(12), pages 1412-1419.
    4. Ammas Siraj Mohammed & Nigist Alemayehu Woldekidan & Fuad Adem Mohammed, 2020. "Knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacy professionals on generic medicines in Eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-12, July.

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