The substitution is a «medical act», because «there may exist "medical" reasons for which the prescriber prefers to continue the therapy with a particular specialty». This was written by Aifa, in the editorial of the latest issue of its drug information bulletin. And it is a stance that is attracting the applause of a large part of family medicine, within which a debate on the subject of substitutability in the pharmacy has been underway for several months. But in its editorial, Aifa also intervenes on the most recurring topics in the not yet dormant disputes on the quality and bioequivalence of generics, establishing what for the Agency are the points beyond discussion. First: the purity and quality of the raw materials are certified with identical procedures, whether we are dealing with "branded" or "off patent" drugs. Second: even the controls on manufacturing procedures are the same for all medicines. And then – is the final reflection of AIFA – the difference in price between designer and generic does not derive from savings on quality standards, pag. 3
The Doctor's Journal of 18/04/2008 N. 6 – 17 MARCH 2008 p. 101
