Evaluation of the Knowledge and Perceptions of Patients towards Generic Medicines in UAE

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of patients towards generic medicines in some Emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving patients in three Emirates was undertaken. A 23-item questionnaire was designed, pre-validated and administered. Results: The questionnaire was fully answered by 96 patients out of 120 producing a response rate of 80%. The majority of patients were young Arab females with a university degree. Slightly less than 50% of patients were having a monthly income of less than ED 10,000. Results of the patient’s survey indicate that they have poor knowledge and perception of generic medicines. They did not know the meaning of generic or brand medicines and this negatively influenced their responses to consequent questions. Conclusion: Patients’ knowledge and perception of generic drugs were poor. Efforts are needed to increase public awareness of generic drugs and possible brand substitution. Both the prescribing physician and the dispensing pharmacists have an essential role to play in educating their patients of generic drugs.

Brief introduction for application of USA authorized generic drugs

The authorized generic drugs(AGs)are drug products marketed in the USA with the permission of sponsor or holder of the approved brand name drug(usually refers to an innovator drug).Other than the fact that it does not have the brand name on its label,it is the exact same drug product as the brand name product.In China,for those published comparator products of generic drug products,the market availability is the first question to affect the smooth development and investigation for the process of the re-evaluation of the generic drugs.In the present paper,we systemically elaborated the definition,classification and relevant background of the AGs,as well as their differences to the generic drugs.At the same time,by taking drug products,which are adopted in the Chinese comparator product directories for generic medicinal products(first batch)and sourced from USA orange book,as examples,we introduced the searching process of the AGs with the integration of FDA listing of AGs,the USA orange book and the USA national drug code directory.It can facilitate the domestic and foreign pharmaceutical enterprises to search,identify and purchase the corresponding AGs of the designated comparator product when question emerges to its market availability.

Brief introduction for search and determination of the comparator product for generic medicinal product application in the EU

It is vital segment to choose the right comparator product during the development and study of generic medicinal product, and this is also definitely specified in the relevant documents from the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA)that the comparator product should be innovator product or internationally recognized same medicinal product,which is used in the re-evaluation of generic medicinal product or marketed authorization application of the generic medicinal product.To facilitate the domestic and foreign pharmaceutical enterprises to choose and determine comparator product,four medicinal product evaluation procedures,as well as the corresponding marketed medicinal product list,are detailed elaborated in this paper.At the same time, by taking the Mifepristone Tablet (200mg)as example,the search and determination process of the comparator product for generic medicinal product application in the EU is illustrated with the combination of different marketed medicinal product lists.

Brief introduction for application of the USA national drug code

The reference listed drug (RLD) adopted in the USA orange book is the important source of the Chinese comparator product directories of generic medicinal products. Therefore, its availability has the vital significanee for pharmaceutical enterprise to carry out the re-evaluation of gen eric medici nal products and study of generic medicinal products. The nati onal drug code (NDC) is the unique, 3-segment number for each drug product in USA, and it serves as a universal product identifier for drugs. While the NDC directory adopts the infbrmation of drug products in the current commercial distribution, including all of the prescription drug and over the counter (OTC) drug products. The composition and configuration of the NDC number are systemically elaborated in this paper, as well as the data source, development history and supporting measures of the NDC directory. At the same time, by taking drugs, which are adopted in the Chinese comparator product directory of generic medicinal product (first batch) and sourced from USA orange book, as example, it introduces the application of the NDC directory in the availability aspect of the Chinese comparator products to facilitate the Chinese or foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers to search, identify and purchase the suitable RLD sourced from USA orange book. Moreover, it can provide referenee for Chinese drug regulatory to prepare the Chinese comparator product directories of generic medicinal products.

The introduction of therapeutic equivalence evaluation codes and its influence on the selection of the reference listed drugs in China

The Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations(commonly known as the Orange Book)includes the products approved by Food and Drug Administration(FDA)to be marketed in the USA,and it is an essential source for the selection of suitable reference listed drugs(RLD)for a chemical generic medicinal product.The Orange Book assigns a therapeutic equivalence(TE)evaluation code for approved multisource prescription drug products to serve as public information in the area of medicinal product selection.In the present study,we introduced the TE coding system and its influence on the selection of the RLD in China by taking the Topiramate Extended-release Capsules as an example.As a result,it was suggested to determine its TE evaluation code in the Orange Book previously when we choose an RLD and select suitable RLD the first letter of whose TE evaluation code is A to carry out the research and development of a generic medicinal product,which can improve the probability of success of clinical bioequivalence(BE)test and reduce the risk of generic medicinal product development.