ACP Generic Medications Paper
Embargoed until 5PM Eastern November 23, 2015
Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, November 23, 2015
(1) Announcer: When it comes to medicines, many clinicians prescribe expensive brand name drugs. New advice from the American College of Physicians says that all clinicians should prescribegeneric medicines whenever possible.Dr. Wayne Riley
President, American College of Physicians / (2) Dr. Wayne Riley:[23:19:45:08] Generic medications are consistent with high-value care. They are equal quality, are cost-effective, and can help patients take the medicines they need to take when prescribed.
(3) Announcer: Some people wrongly believe that generic medicines do not work as well as brand name drugs.
(4) Dr. Wayne Riley:Research shows that the generic medications are equally effective as brand-name medications.
(5) Announcer: ACP also notes that some research shows that less expensive generic medicines could help patients stay on their treatment plans.
(6) Dr. Wayne Riley: Patients can benefit by using more generic medications by saving out-of-pocket expenses. Particularly if you’re taking multiple medications for multiple medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol.
(7) Announcer: Announcer: ACP notes that there are situations where generic substitution is not possible and the use of brand name drugs is clinically appropriate. For more information go to acponline.org.
VO reporter voice is Gerry Gardner.
Dr. Wayne Riley
President American College of Physicians
Patients who use generic medications can save significantly on their out-of-pocket expense at no compromise in the quality of the medications they’re taking.
Not infrequently, both physicians and patients mistakenly assume that generic medications are of lower quality, or, and/or are less effective, and the research shows that not to be true at all. Generic medications are equally effective as brand-name medications in many instances.
Generic medications are consistent with high-value care. They are equal quality, are cost-effective, and can help patients take the medicines they need to take when prescribed.
The American College of Physicians defines high-value care as care that is consistent with decreasing cost, good quality, equal effectiveness, and will bring savings to both the health care system and to individual patients.
Research shows that the generic medications are equally effective as brand-name medications.
If patients express concern about the size, color, or appearance of a generic medication, they can be reassured that generic medications contain the same active ingredients as found in the brand-name medication they may be more familiar with.
More Americans than ever are taking prescription medications, so therefore, there’s a lot of savings that can be derived by the use of generic medications. They’re equally as effective. They’re more cost-effective, and they are particularly helpful for a patient who has multiple chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension.
Very commonly, patients who are on brand-name drugs sometimes don’t pick up their prescriptions because of the high cost, the high out-of-pocket cost. So, the use of generics can significantly improve their ability to get that medicine and to remain on it.
A recent study of Medicare patients with diabetes shows that up to 45% of the branded drugs taken by Medicare patients with diabetes could be treated with equally effective generic drugs at much less cost.
It is estimated, for just Medicare patients with diabetes, the use of generic medications could save Medicare 1.4 billion dollars.
Courtesy the American College of Physicians, publisher of Annals of Internal Medicine
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