The pharmacy channel has been an under-studied area by drug companies relative to greater focus on physicians, managed care, hospitals, and patients/consumers. This paper sheds empirical light on the effects of potential pharmacist involvement and motivations in brand-to-generic drug substitutions driven by state pharmacy drug product selection (DPS) laws that have to be later reversed as seen in generic-to-branded drug switch-backs for some patients. This paper also demonstrates another application of longitudinal prescription patient-level data to show how brand-to-generic substitution (especially therapeutic substitution) may produce unintended effects that are in not the best interest for some patients as measured by the rate of generic-to-branded drug switch-backs.
Dr. George A. Chressanthis is currently Principal Scientist at Axtria. He brings a unique combination of professional experiences into the analysis of strategic and operational issues affecting the biopharmaceutical industry.
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