Perceptions and behaviors of patients and pharmacists towards generic drug substitution in Lebanon

Background Patients, physicians and pharmacists are key stakeholders in the implementation of generic substitution policies. Objectives To explore Lebanese patients’ perceptions and experience, and pharmacists’ dispensing patterns towards the newly enacted unified health prescription policy promoting generic substitution. Setting Pharmacies in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Methods A cross-sectional design employing self-administered questionnaires to survey a total of 128 patients and 25 pharmacists. Chi square test and multiple logistic regression were performed. Main outcome Perceptions and behaviors of patients and pharmacists towards the unified health prescription and generic substitution. Results Fourty-eight percent of the patients knew the definition of generic drugs, among which 59.0% perceived that generic drugs have the same effectiveness as their branded alternatives and 59.0% perceiving that generic drugs could reduce Lebanon’s medical bill as well. Sixty-one percent of the patients were aware of the unified health prescription. Only 13.6% of the pharmacists suggested to patients to replace prescribed brand drug by a generic when their prescriptions were not marked with non-substitution. Conclusions Progress has been made with regards to enhancing generic substitution in the Lebanese healthcare field. However, it remains important to educate patients about generic medicines and plan context-specific schemes that promote prescribing and dispensing of generic drugs among physicians and pharmacists.