@article{3121991,
    title = "Exploring knowledge and perceptions on generic drugs of final year pharmacy school students in Greece",
    author = "Souliotis, K. and Golna, C. and Kani, C. and Markantonis, S.",
    journal = "Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research",
    year = "2019",
    volume = "19",
    number = "5",
    pages = "569-574",
    publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",
    issn = "1473-7167, 1744-8379",
    doi = "10.1080/14737167.2019.1571412",
    keywords = "generic drug;  generic drug, Article;  attitude to health;  cross-sectional study;  descriptive research;  drug cost;  drug efficacy;  drug marketing;  drug safety;  female;  Greece;  health care personnel;  human;  human experiment;  male;  medical education;  normal human;  pharmacoeconomics;  pharmacy school;  student;  student attitude;  work experience;  attitude to health;  economics;  organization and management;  pharmacist;  pharmacy student;  professional standard;  questionnaire;  therapeutic equivalence, Cross-Sectional Studies;  Drugs, Generic;  Female;  Greece;  Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice;  Humans;  Male;  Pharmacists;  Professional Role;  Schools, Pharmacy;  Students, Pharmacy;  Surveys and Questionnaires;  Therapeutic Equivalency",
    abstract = "Objectives: The economic crisis in Greece has triggered an extensive public debate about the use of generic drugs (generics). Despite their cost-saving potential, generic market penetration remains very low. This raises questions on awareness of, perception on and preference for generics by health-care professionals and patients. This is a descriptive study on the level of knowledge and attitudes towards generics of final year pharmacy school students in Greece. Methods: An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 173 senior pharmacy school students in three Universities in Greece. Responses were submitted electronically. Results: The majority of students knew that generics contain the same active ingredient as the originator products and are cheaper. Students were somehow concerned with safety and efficacy of generics. The majority of students agreed that pharmacists should probably recommend the use of generics, and indicated that prescribing and dispensing practices would largely depend on the profit margin. Despite more than half of the students expressing a positive attitude towards generics, they were inadequately educated on their features. Conclusion: It is critical to improve knowledge of and preference for generics amongst health-care professionals from early on if to build the trust required to increase generic market penetration and achieve measurable savings in pharmaceutical expenditure. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group."
}