Physicians' Perception of Generic and Electronic Prescribing: A Descriptive Study from Jordan

Overview

Journal J Pharm Policy Pract

Date 2015 Apr 8

PMID 25848547

Citations 10

Authors

Faris El-Dahiyat

Reem Kayyali

Penelope Bidgood

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate Jordanian physicians' perception and attitudes toward generic medicines and generic substitution. It also aimed to examine factors that affect physicians' pattern of prescribing, and to evaluate their opinion regarding future introduction of Electronic Prescribing (EP) in Jordan.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study involving Jordanian physicians working in both public and private sectors was undertaken, using a self-administrated anonymous questionnaire. Frequency tables, cross-tabulation and chi square tests were used for data analysis. The response rate was 75.2% (n = 376/500).

Results: Cost was claimed to be an important factor in the prescribing decision for 69.1% of the Jordanian physicians. The majority of physicians (77.4%) claimed that they often prescribe generic medicines. Jordanian physicians predominantly welcomed the implementation of an EP and International Nonproprietary Name (INN) prescribing systems with 92%, and 80.1% respectively. More than two thirds of the physicians (69.4%) accepted generic substitution by pharmacists, with a significant association with their employment sector; physicians who work in the private sector tended to oppose generic substitution compared with physicians who work in the public sector. Physicians mostly (72.1%) opposed that generic substitution should only be allowed upon patient request.

Conclusions: Jordanian physicians have a positive attitude towards generic medications and high willingness and acceptance of strategies that encourage generic utilisation such as EP, INN prescribing and generic substitution. All these strategies would help reduce the high expenditure on medicines in Jordan. These findings would provide baseline data to policy makers to develop a robust generic policy to achieve greater clinical effectiveness and economic efficiency from medicines prescribing.

Citing Articles

Influencing Factors of Generic Prescribing Behavior of Physicians: A Structural Equation Model Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Wang Z, Wang R, Li X, Bai L, Fan P, Tang Y Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2024; 17:1375-1385.

PMID: 38813068 PMC: 11135567. DOI: 10.2147/RMHP.S446743.

Physicians' Perspectives with the E-prescribing System in Five Teaching Hospitals.

Alipour J, Payandeh A, Hashemi A, Aliabadi A, Karimi A Appl Clin Inform. 2024; 15(3):428-436.

PMID: 38810656 PMC: 11136528. DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1786872.

Perception of Healthcare Professionals towards Electronic-Prescribing at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sema F, Kebede A, Soworsu G, Mengistu T, Assen H, Muche E Biomed Res Int. 2024; 2024:6553470.

PMID: 38633242 PMC: 11022515. DOI: 10.1155/2024/6553470.

Generic switching: Do future physicians in Jordan have enough knowledge and a positive attitude?.

Al Zoubi S, Gharaibeh L, Al-Masri B, Alsahele A, Al-Masaeid B Front Pharmacol. 2022; 13:1037112.

PMID: 36561340 PMC: 9763699. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1037112.

A leap towards enforcing medicines prescribing by generic names in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): pitfalls, limitations, and recommendations for local drug regulatory agencies.

Merchant H, Babar Z, Hussain I J Pharm Policy Pract. 2022; 15(1):104.

PMID: 36550588 PMC: 9773520. DOI: 10.1186/s40545-022-00501-4.

References

Donyai P, OGrady K, Jacklin A, Barber N, Franklin B . The effects of electronic prescribing on the quality of prescribing. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2007; 65(2):230-7. PMC: 2253693. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02995.x. View

Shrank W, Cox E, Fischer M, Mehta J, Choudhry N . Patients' perceptions of generic medications. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009; 28(2):546-56. PMC: 2748784. DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.2.546. View

Webster L, Spiro R . Health information technology: A new world for pharmacy. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2010; 50(2):e20-31, quiz e32-4. DOI: 10.1331/JAPhA.2010.09170. View

Denig P, Haaijer-Ruskamp F, Zijsling D . How physicians choose drugs. Soc Sci Med. 1988; 27(12):1381-6. DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(88)90203-1. View

Chua G, Hassali M, Shafie A, Awaisu A . A survey exploring knowledge and perceptions of general practitioners towards the use of generic medicines in the northern state of Malaysia. Health Policy. 2010; 95(2-3):229-35. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2009.11.019. View

Moniz T, Seger A, Keohane C, Seger D, Bates D, Rothschild J . Addition of electronic prescription transmission to computerized prescriber order entry: Effect on dispensing errors in community pharmacies. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2011; 68(2):158-63. DOI: 10.2146/ajhp080298. View

Benjamin D . Reducing medication errors and increasing patient safety: case studies in clinical pharmacology. J Clin Pharmacol. 2003; 43(7):768-83. View

Gilligan A, Miller K, Mohney A, Montenegro C, Schwarz J, Warholak T . Analysis of pharmacists' interventions on electronic versus traditional prescriptions in 2 community pharmacies. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2012; 8(6):523-32. DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2011.12.005. View

Brett A, Burr W, Moloo J . Are gifts from pharmaceutical companies ethically problematic? A survey of physicians. Arch Intern Med. 2003; 163(18):2213-8. DOI: 10.1001/archinte.163.18.2213. View

10.

Kravitz R, Bell R, Azari R, Kelly-Reif S, Krupat E, Thom D . Direct observation of requests for clinical services in office practice: what do patients want and do they get it?. Arch Intern Med. 2003; 163(14):1673-81. DOI: 10.1001/archinte.163.14.1673. View

11.

Paraponaris A, Verger P, Desquins B, Villani P, Bouvenot G, Rochaix L . Delivering generics without regulatory incentives? Empirical evidence from French general practitioners about willingness to prescribe international non-proprietary names. Health Policy. 2004; 70(1):23-32. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2004.01.008. View

12.

Danzon P, Chao L . Cross-national price differences for pharmaceuticals: how large, and why?. J Health Econ. 2000; 19(2):159-95. DOI: 10.1016/s0167-6296(99)00039-9. View

13.

Mintzes B, Barer M, Kravitz R, Bassett K, Lexchin J, Kazanjian A . How does direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) affect prescribing? A survey in primary care environments with and without legal DTCA. CMAJ. 2003; 169(5):405-12. PMC: 183290. View

14.

Tsiantou V, Zavras D, Kousoulakou H, Geitona M, Kyriopoulos J . Generic medicines: Greek physicians' perceptions and prescribing practices. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2009; 34(5):547-54. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2009.01037.x. View

15.

Oshikoya K, Oreagba I, Adeyemi O . Sources of drug information and their influence on the prescribing behaviour of doctors in a teaching hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J. 2011; 9:13. PMC: 3215535. DOI: 10.4314/pamj.v9i1.71188. View

16.

King D, Kanavos P . Encouraging the use of generic medicines: implications for transition economies. Croat Med J. 2002; 43(4):462-9. View

17.

Kanavos P . Do generics offer significant savings to the UK National Health Service?. Curr Med Res Opin. 2007; 23(1):105-16. DOI: 10.1185/030079907X159506. View

18.

Wazana A . Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift?. JAMA. 2000; 283(3):373-80. DOI: 10.1001/jama.283.3.373. View

19.

Ess S, Schneeweiss S, Szucs T . European healthcare policies for controlling drug expenditure. Pharmacoeconomics. 2003; 21(2):89-103. DOI: 10.2165/00019053-200321020-00002. View

20.

Theodorou M, Tsiantou V, Pavlakis A, Maniadakis N, Fragoulakis V, Pavi E . Factors influencing prescribing behaviour of physicians in Greece and Cyprus: results from a questionnaire based survey. BMC Health Serv Res. 2009; 9:150. PMC: 2737540. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-9-150. View