Rome, 1 Feb. (Adnkronos Salute) – Medicines are a daily habit in Italy. In fact, every Italian takes about one pill a day. And in the first 9 months of 2012, the expenditure incurred by compatriots to pay the difference between a generic drug, reimbursed by the State, and a 'designer' drug, which therefore remains the favorite of the inhabitants of the boot, increased by one billion (compared to the same period of 2011). This is what emerges from the Osmed Report presented today by the Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa). "In Italy - commented Luca Pani, general manager of Aifa - the culture of the generic is still struggling to take off. This is the country where one in three citizens would not hesitate to buy medicines on the internet, while then if they are offered to change the brand name for the generic one, they pay the difference in order not to do so". This trend is illustrated by the data contained in the Report: in the first 9 months of 2012, the expenditure incurred by citizens for each co-payment paid by them (ticket and difference between the drug purchased and the reference price of expired patent medicines), amounted to over one billion euros, or 17 euros per capita. It therefore increased overall by 7.8%, compared to 2011. But the 'blame' is not the increase in the co-payment, but the money spent to cover the difference between the drug purchased by the citizen, preferably 'branded', and the reference price of medicines with expired patents (+13.4%).
Editor's note: AIFA: Equivalent medicines, i.e. medicines based on active ingredients with an expired patent, with the exception of those that have enjoyed patent coverage by decree law 27 May 2005, n. 8 converted, with amendments, by Law 26 July 2005, n. 149.
OsMed report - January September 2012
You see: http://www.federaisf.org/Start/HDefault.aspx?Newsid=7431
