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Irish people warming up to generic medicines

The Irish Medicine Board expects lists of interchangeable medicines to be ready within two months of legislation on the drugs commencing.

IRISH CONSUMERS HAVE a higher awareness of and more positive attitude towards the use of generic medicines according to a survey published today.

Over 80 per cent of respondents in the Irish Medicine Board’s (IMB) survey said they would accept generic medicine if it was offered by their doctor or pharmacist, while nine out of ten consumers who personally used it said they had a positive experience with it overall.

Almost three quarters of people were familiar with the term ‘generic medicine’ and the main reason cited by the 17 per cent who would not accept the generic drugs is their lack of understanding.

The survey also highlighted a “deep level of trust” by Irish adults in healthcare professionals with GPs and pharmacists being the most trusted sources of advice about medicines.

IMB said the findings are particularly relevant in advance of government plans to introduce a system of generic substitution and reference pricing shortly. Under this system, the IMB will publish a list of interchangeable medicines on its website showing those medicines that can be safely substituted by pharmacists.

Quality and safety

“Generic medicines meet exactly the same standards of quality and safety and have the same effect as the original branded medicines,” commented Pat O’Mahony, Chief Executive of IMB. “Our research results indicate that this is well understood by patients and other members of the public.”

Over recent months, O’Mahony said the board has dedicated specialist staff to prepare for the introduction of the generic substitution legislation.

“The IMB’s immediate priority will be to review an initial 20 active substances which equates to approximately 1,500 individual medicines,” he explained today. “These medicines will be grouped together under a list of interchangeable medicines according to their active substance, strength, pharmaceutical form and the route of administration. As each active substance is assessed it will be added to the list and this will be published on our website.”

The first 20 active substances were selected by the Department of Health on the basis of overall cost to patients and the State and it is anticipated thaat the initial list will be publised on IMB’s site within two months of the legislation being commenced. After that, it is expected that the board will process and list an average of two or three groups of medicines each month.

Read: Epilepsy Ireland ‘extremely frustrated’ about drug substitution>
Read: HSE introduces preferred drug initiative to save €15 million in budget>

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26 Comments
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    Mute Melissa OHara
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    May 16th 2021, 11:06 PM

    I used to be good at geography. Then they changed everything! ;)

    230
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    Mute kevinhunt101
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    May 16th 2021, 10:04 PM

    10, though I did guess 1 I hadn’t a clue, Vaduz?

    83
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    Mute Mr Snrub
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    May 16th 2021, 10:49 PM

    @kevinhunt101: 9 because Vaduz couldn’t be in Andorra

    30
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    Mute Liz O'Neill
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    May 17th 2021, 1:08 AM

    I’ve actually been to Nuuk.,back in the eighties There was a museum of mummified Inuits and one supermarket. Perversely the bus had a sign prohibiting travellers from eating iced lollies on board. As if they’d want to…

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    Mute Gillian O'Coinne
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    May 16th 2021, 10:04 PM

    7 out of ten. Not bad.

    60
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    Mute Andy
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    May 16th 2021, 10:22 PM

    -3 out of 10

    57
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    Mute Brian Roche
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    May 16th 2021, 10:49 PM

    Got the Greenland one right because I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last night

    50
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    Mute Setanta Stylfox
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    May 16th 2021, 10:21 PM

    10 out of 10

    34
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    Mute Gerard Moroney
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    May 16th 2021, 10:25 PM

    @Setanta Stylfox:

    7
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    Mute kevin mc cormack
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    May 17th 2021, 12:42 AM

    @Setanta Stylfox: please do the Lottery next week I’ll pay for it

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    Mute Joan Doyle
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    May 17th 2021, 8:11 AM

    @Setanta Stylfox: with a name
    like that you shouldn’t get lost ?

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    Mute Colm de Cleir
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    May 17th 2021, 12:03 AM

    7/10 is “Middlin”? I’m sure I’ve gotten less than that before and been “Fintastic”!

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    Mute Nollaig Kelly
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    May 17th 2021, 12:51 AM

    @Colm de Cleir: I also got 7 out of 10 but said I was grand

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    Mute Diarmuid #STAYATHOME
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    May 16th 2021, 10:40 PM

    10/10. Greenland was a total guess though

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    Mute Anto Whelan
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    May 16th 2021, 10:45 PM

    10 easy

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    Mute The Kev in Kevlar
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    May 17th 2021, 1:26 AM

    Vaduz is awesome,stayed there for a night while driving around Europe..so small all the light flash yellow constantly xD

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    Mute Brian Roche
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    May 16th 2021, 10:49 PM

    Got the Greenland one right because I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last night

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    Mute Colm de Cleir
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    May 17th 2021, 12:03 AM

    @Brian Roche: I got it right because the second option made it obvious the author was making a joke about the first one. ..

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    Mute Ger Power
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    May 17th 2021, 11:04 AM

    Geography always been my strong subject, an easy 10/10. Watching Ireland playing away games also helped.

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    Mute Alan McDonald
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    May 16th 2021, 11:53 PM

    9

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    Mute Pierre Maanen
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    May 17th 2021, 8:49 AM

    10/10

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    Mute Noel
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    May 17th 2021, 1:05 PM

    8/10 should have really got that Portugal question right to make 9/10. Would have never got that Greenland one though.

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    Mute Ed
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    May 17th 2021, 11:24 AM

    I saw a video of Conan O’Brien in Nuuk. It was quite humourous.

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    Mute Bennasi84
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    May 17th 2021, 10:59 AM

    9/10 fooking Greenland

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