Generic drugs dispensed in pharmacies saved the state and families more than 225 million euros in the first six months of the year, an increase of 36 million compared to the same period in 2021.
The data was provided to Lusa by the Portuguese Association of Generics and Biosimilars (APOGEN) in connection with the 30th anniversary of the start of sales of these medicines in Portugal.
Summing up generics in Portugal, APOGEN President Maria do Carmo Neves said that they are “a very important tool because they allow more users to be treated at affordable prices” and that the National Health Service (SNS) has made savings.
As an example, he said that from 2011 to this Friday, generics have saved more than 5 billion euros, which is equivalent to two years of spending on the SNA’s total outpatient and inpatient drug costs.
Investing in these solutions allows you to allocate more resources to the SNS, invest in innovation, create more jobs and contribute to the Portuguese economy through exports and increasing the medical trade balance.
“I have no doubt that innovation has extended our life and made it better, but what has remained sustainable are generic drugs and biosimilars,” he stressed.
But, despite the successes, the country is still far from the average European level in terms of the share of generics (almost 70%). For several years, Portugal remained at 48.8%.
Maria do Carmo Neves stated that it is necessary that six out of 10 users benefit from these medicines in the coming years.
“Any change is hard to implement and it takes a long time to reach goals, especially when we’re here treating people with doctors who have experience with a particular product and the change gives you an idea that it might have different results. But that’s just perception,” he said, alluding to the stagnation of the generics market.
The chairman of the Ordem dos Farmacêuticos (OF), in turn, cited a pricing system that is “so flat” that the Portuguese market no longer attracts more generics and a lack of information pressure as reasons for this stagnation.
“We must continue to educate medical professionals and patients on the importance of generic drugs, the quality and effectiveness they have, the same as the original, which increases sustainability and pays less to the patient and the system,” emphasized Elder Mota. Filipe.
The Chairman deplored that, after 30 years, there were still doubts about generics, emphasizing that when a professional (doctor, pharmacist, nurse) says that he only trusts the original medicine, he says that he does not trust authorities in the field medicines. .
“There are many professionals who irresponsibly talk about this, because if they have genuine doubts, the first thing they should do is report to the pharmacovigilance system that they have doubts because the drug does not achieve the goal that was proposed. . or because the patient did not respond adequately,” he defended himself.
“Therefore, saying such things without consequences is irresponsible and is a bad practice from the point of view of professionals,” Elder Mota Filipe concluded.
For the former president of the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine, Rui Nogueira, the acceptance of generic drugs by doctors was good, as “it would contribute to a more rational use of resources with medicines, which are large.”
“Then there was a stage where the patients needed clarification, as well as our doubts that we had, but everything was quickly resolved for us and, I think, for the patients too,” said Rui Nogueira.
While it’s no longer common, he says, some patients still prefer brand-name drugs over generics.
But, he stressed, were it not for the use of these drugs, the country today would be “in a very difficult position, much worse” in terms of spending on drugs, which are “huge”.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
