Knowledge and Perception of Consumers Towards Generic Medicines in Saudi Arabia: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Survey
Monira Alwhaibi,1 Mashael Alshammari,1 Noha Al Aloola,1 Nouf Aloudah,1 Aliyah Almomen,2 Tariq M Alhawassi1 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Sa...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Dove Medical Press
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Patient Preference and Adherence |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/knowledge-and-perception-of-consumers-towards-generic-medicines-in-sau-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PPA |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Monira Alwhaibi,1 Mashael Alshammari,1 Noha Al Aloola,1 Nouf Aloudah,1 Aliyah Almomen,2 Tariq M Alhawassi1 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Monira Alwhaibi, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, King Saud University, School of Pharmacy, Riyadh, 11149, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966535384152, Email malwhaibi@ksu.edu.saBackground: Brand-to-generic medicine substitution has been a common practice worldwide as one of the strategies to reduce pharmaceutical expenditure and sustain health care systems. The perspective of patients as end-users of these medicines is one of crucial factors in enhancing generic medicines’ utilization. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the consumers’ knowledge, perception, and current use of generic medicines in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study using a purposive sampling technique was conducted among adults aged 18 years and above in Saudi Arabia from December 2023 to January 2024. The study participants comprised the adult population aged 18 years and above living in Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the data, and all statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS.Results: In total, 691 adults participated in this study. About fifty percent of the participants had used generic medications and knew what generic medications meant (41.0%). There was a relatively positive perception towards generic medication in only about one-third of the participants; they either perceive that generics relieve symptoms as brand medication, generics would provide significant savings, or the physicians should always prescribe a generic medication if it’s available.Conclusions: While there was some knowledge of generic medications’ cost advantages, still significant gaps in knowledge and trust might hinder their widespread adoption. Addressing these challenges through targeted educational and policy interventions is crucial to promote the use of generic medications. By doing so, we can ensure that consumers have the information and confidence they need to make informed decisions about their medications.Keywords: knowledge, perception, generic medicines, adult consumers |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1177-889X |