Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11072

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

NPS to push generics
Pharmacy Daily (Australia) - registration required 2007 Aug 6
http://www.pharmacydaily.com.au

Full text:

NATIONAL Prescribing Service will this month commence a national media campaign which includes a strong emphasis on the promotion of use of generics.

Pharmacists can expect to field more questions about their medicines from consumers as a result of the TV commercials, in which the first phase urges them to Get to Know Your Medicines.

NPS ceo Lynn Weekes said the initial ads would focus on general Quality Use of Medicines issues,
while the second phase will have an emphasis on generic medicines.

“We want to support communication between health professionals and consumers about QUM,” Weekes said.

She said NPS hopes to increase consumers’ active participation in their decisions about medicines – including choice about the use of generics – by encouraging them to ask their health professionals.

In the second part of the campaign the ads will carry the additional message “Generic medicines are an equal choice”.

Weekes said it was hoped that the campaign would reduce the incidence of preventable adverse medicines events in Australia, with more than 140,000 people hospitalised every year as a result
of medication-related problems.

“It is important people talk with their doctor or pharmacist and have access to evidencebased
information so they can make better informed decisions about their medicines,” she said.

NPS said that full details of the campaign including an “extensive array of free resources” would be
online at www.nps.org.au from early this week.