Why do generic drugs fail to achieve an adequate market share in Greece? Empirical findings and policy suggestions

- An increase of generic drugs penetration is critical for Greece.
- Analyzed data identified factors affecting population beliefs toward generics.
- Income, prescription/dispensing preferences and drug beliefs are related to generics perceptions.
- New campaigns and incentives toward doctors/pharmacists should be introduced.
- Policies targeting respondents' beliefs should be developed to increase generics' share.

ObjectivesSince 2010, the memoranda of understanding were implemented in Greece as a measure of fiscal adjustment. Public pharmaceutical expenditure was one of the main focuses of this implementation. Numerous policies, targeted on pharma spending, reduced the pharmaceutical budget by 60.5%. Yet, generics' penetration in Greece remained among the lowest among OECD countries. This study aims to highlight the factors that affect the perceptions of the population on generic drugs and to suggest effective policy measures.MethodologyThe empirical analysis is based on a national cross-sectional survey that was conducted through a sample of 2003 individuals, representative of the general population. Two ordinal logistic regression models were constructed in order to identify the determinants that affect the respondents' beliefs on the safety and the effectiveness of generic drugs.FindingsThe empirical findings presented a positive and statistically significant correlation with income, bill payment difficulties, safety and effectiveness of drugs, prescription and dispensing preferences and the views toward pharmaceutical companies. Also, age and trust toward medical community have a positive and statistically significant correlation with the perception on the safety of generic drugs. Policy interventions are suggested on the bases of the empirical results on 3 major categories; (a) information campaigns, (b) incentives to doctors and pharmacists and (c) to strengthen the bioequivalence control framework and the dissemination of results.