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3 out of 4 patients unable to tell original drugs from generics: survey
  • By Lee Han-soo
  • Published 2018.08.28 14:23
  • Updated 2018.08.28 14:23
  • comments 0

Consumers have started to claim their rights to selecting drugs amid the increased access to information on medicines, but more than half of them do not exactly know what kind of drugs they are using.

Bayer Korea conducted a survey on the patient's awareness of drugs regularly prescribed to people in their 40s to 60s. The survey, participated by 1,000 patients, aimed to investigate the degree of information and knowledge of the medicines used by patients with chronic illnesses.

According to the results of the survey, 51.3 percent of the respondents said they were regularly taking one or more medications. Among those who regularly take medication, 48.1 percent said they know the name of the medicine they are using, while 46.8 percent of the respondents answered that they did not. Their perception of manufacturers was somewhat lower than the name of the drug.

Also, 65.3 percent of the respondents said that they knew the efficacy of the drug they are currently taking. However, only 23.2 percent knew about the possible adverse reaction of the drug.

Regarding patient’s knowledge to differentiate generic and original drugs, 71.5 percent of those polled answered they do not know whether the medicine they are using is an original drug or the generic drug. Also, 75.5 percent said they do not know the exact definitions of original or generic medication.

The original drug refers to the first registered drug in the absence of the same ingredient, formulation, and content. The generic drug refers to a replica made with the same ingredients, formulations, and substances as the original drug after the original drug's patent expires.

“Consumer survey results showed that overall awareness of the medicines that patients take is somewhat low,” Bayer Korea CEO Ingrid U. Drechsel said. “As Bayer is a company that manufactures drugs to treat various illnesses such as cardiovascular and anti-cardioprotective disease, we are committed to providing accurate information with responsibility for consumer education.”

The company will use this survey to provide information and improve awareness so that consumers can quickly check the efficacy, effects, and precautions of medicines and take them, she added.

corea022@docdocdoc.co.kr

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