The perceived benefits of generic versus branded medicines

Abstract

People increasingly face the choice of branded or generic medicines and the decision sometimes is a difficult one. This research work was designed to determine the perceived benefits of generic versus branded medicines. People’s perception of things, does affect their choices. It is almost a decade since generics were introduced to the healthcare system in South Africa and very few studies have been done to access whether the idea of having generic medicines is working. A survey was carried out and the results were analysed using a logistic regression. The results showed that females knew more about generic medicines than males. The variables of cost, safety and quality of medicines still remain a determining factor for the purchase of medicines either generic or branded. In addition, people’s income was seen to influence the type of medicines that they buy. It was seen that there was a direct relationship between the income of respondents and their preferences when it came to the purchase of medicine. Access to medical aid was confirmed to predispose people to opt for branded medicine against the cheaper generics since they are not paying directly.