Generic medicine: Boston University students’ perceptions and surprising lack of knowledge

Abstract

This project aims to compare knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding generic medicines in an effort to illuminate the reasons for widely discrepant rates of generic utilization in different countries. While the United States has high rates of generic uptake (around 86%), and generic medicine utilization has saved the US healthcare system over $1 trillion in the past decade (2003–2014), similar figures are not seen in many other countries despite the opportunities for substantial cost savings. Therefore, it is in the interest of global policy makers and public health professionals to be aware of public perception of generic medicines. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, our study illuminated five major themes among Boston University students of various nationalities: origin, knowledge, important decision-making factors, perceptions of self/others, and information sources. The key finding of our study was that only 24% of participants reported accurate knowledge of generic medicines. This figure is alarming given the high rates of use in the United States and carries implications for generic promotion and uptake rates.