Physicians' preferences for the choice between generic and brand-name pharmaceuticals and the measures to promote the use of generic pharmaceuticals in Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K17076
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Public finance/Public economy
• Research Institution: Shiga University
• Principal Investigator: Sano Hiroshi 滋賀大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (50502316)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 後発医薬品 / 先発医薬品 / 医師 / 内科 / 診療所 / コンジョイント分析 / 選好

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study is to elicit physicians’ preferences for the various characteristics of generic and brand-name pharmaceuticals, and to find the measures to promote the use of generic pharmaceuticals in Japan. Internal medicine physicians in clinics were asked to choose the more attractive pharmaceutical between brand-name and generic ones with different characteristics through the questionnaire. The results suggested that physicians’ choice of generic drugs was particularly influenced by the following characteristics: the side effects different from brand-name drugs and a decrease in patient costs. In the choice of brand-name drugs, physicians placed importance on the distributor firm investing heavily in research and development of new pharmaceuticals and the presence of primary care pharmacists. Improving these characteristics of pharmaceuticals will be effective for promoting the use of generic pharmaceuticals.

Free Research Field

経済理論、医療経済学、医療・福祉政策