MEDICATION
SA drug producers urge patients to demand generics
Generic medicines use could save on costs, says industry association
25 April 2017 - 05:23
Patients should be more proactive in demanding generic medicines from pharmacists, says the National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NAPM), which estimates that every 1% rise in the volume of generics dispensed in SA would save R176m. Generics accounted for 53.6%-65% of the volume of medicines sold in SA, according to data obtained from pharmacy-benefit management company Mediscor and IMS Health respectively, said NAPM chairman Vivian Frittelli. The NAPM is an industry association for generic drug manufacturers, which sell cheap copies of originator drugs when their patents expire.
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