More access to cheap meds
September 17, 2012
SEVENTY-five percent of
Australians think that the
Government should offer a price
discount to consumers who choose
generic medicines.
The figure is derived from a
national survey undertaken by the
Generic Medicines Industry
Association, which looked at
responses from over 1,000
Australians.
The survey also found that 89% of
Australians rated generic
prescription medicines as ‘a
product I know and trust’; whilst
the majority of Aussies said they
trust their pharmacist (86%) and
their doctor (84%) to help direct
them regarding which medicine to
purchase.
“The community should use a
generic medicine whenever
possible, as generic medicines drive
affordability of medicines for the
consumer, the taxpayer and the
economy,” said Chairman of the
GMiA, Dr Martin Cross.
“This helps ensure the
sustainability of the PBS,” he
added.
Responding to the results of the
survey, Cross argued that on most
occasions consumers are not
incentivised to opt for generic
medicines.
“GMiA advocates that consumers
who are struggling financially the
most (concession card holders and
consumers who purchase
prescription medicines frequently)
could do with access to more
affordable medicines,” he said.
“There is a significant opportunity
to reduce the financial burden of
medicine expenditure for
concession cardholders and
consumers using medicines
frequently,” he added.
According to the survey, 40% of
respondents believe the discount
should be up to $1.00, whilst 26%
support a discount of $1.50 and
20% think the discount should be
up to $2.00.
“For many consumers, a $1 saving
on every medicine adds up and
makes a difference,” said Cross.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 17 Sep 12To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 17 Sep 12
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