OBJECTIVE: Concerns have been raised about the safety of switching from a branded antiepileptic drug (AED) to a generic AED. The goal of the study described here was to understand patients' experiences with generic AEDs in the Midwestern United States. METHODS: A one-page, six-item survey was mailed to 356 patients to determine patients' awareness of the existence and their usage of generic AEDs. RESULTS: Twenty-eight percent (27.8%) of respondents (N=179) reported breakthrough seizures they believed were a direct result of the switch from a brand to a generic AED, and 33.7% reported side effects due to the switch. Thirty-one percent (31.2%) returned to a brand-name AED as a result. Sixty-nine percent (68.8%) reported being unaware that some pharmacies switch to generic AEDs without a patient's or physician's consent, and 78.7% expressed concern over this. CONCLUSION: A significant percentage of patients reported that generic AEDs were responsible for breakthrough seizures and increased side effects. A significant percentage of patients also reported switching back to a brand-name AED and expressed concern over pharmacies switching to generic AEDs without a patient's or physician's consent.
OBJECTIVE: Concerns have been raised about the safety of switching from a branded antiepileptic drug (AED) to a generic AED. The goal of the study described here was to understand patients' experiences with generic AEDs in the Midwestern United States. METHODS: A one-page, six-item survey was mailed to 356 patients to determine patients' awareness of the existence and their usage of generic AEDs. RESULTS: Twenty-eight percent (27.8%) of respondents (N=179) reported breakthrough seizures they believed were a direct result of the switch from a brand to a generic AED, and 33.7% reported side effects due to the switch. Thirty-one percent (31.2%) returned to a brand-name AED as a result. Sixty-nine percent (68.8%) reported being unaware that some pharmacies switch to generic AEDs without a patient's or physician's consent, and 78.7% expressed concern over this. CONCLUSION: A significant percentage of patients reported that generic AEDs were responsible for breakthrough seizures and increased side effects. A significant percentage of patients also reported switching back to a brand-name AED and expressed concern over pharmacies switching to generic AEDs without a patient's or physician's consent.
Authors: Aaron S Kesselheim; Margaret R Stedman; Ellen J Bubrick; Joshua J Gagne; Alexander S Misono; Joy L Lee; M Alan Brookhart; Jerry Avorn; William H Shrank Journal: Drugs Date: 2010-03-26 Impact factor: 9.546
Authors: Jennifer Meyer; David Fardo; Steven T Fleming; Claudia Hopenhayn; Yevgeniya Gokun; Melody Ryan Journal: Epilepsy Behav Date: 2012-11-23 Impact factor: 3.337