Generic drug utilisation on the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme in 2001.

Expenditure on medicines under the Community Drug Schemes was Euro 674.8 million in 2001, a 27% increase as compared with the year 2000. Prescribing less expensive generic drugs is one method of reducing costs whilst maintaining therapeutic efficacy. In this study the cost and quantity of generic drugs dispensed and the potential savings for GMS prescribing in 2001 that could be made by increasing utilisation of generic drugs was investigated. Twenty two per cent of prescription items were dispensed generically (branded generics (17%) and non-branded generics (5%)) in 2001. This represented approximately 13% of the total ingredient cost of drugs dispensed in that period. Eighteen per cent of prescription items were dispensed as proprietary preparations when a generic equivalent was available. Eleven of the top 30 drugs, of highest cost to the GMS scheme, had a generic equivalent which if substituted could produce savings in the region of Euro 5.65 million. The results of this study highlight the potential for cost savings to be made by generic substitution, facilitating the most efficient use of the limited drugs budget.