Medicine Prescribing Preference and Patient Adherence: Perspectives of Indian Medical Practitioners

Background: Indian Pharmaceutical market is well known for generic medicines and the government also promotes them due to their affordability. These medicines are manufactured by big, medium and small size companies and their quality are generally checked by analytical methods though real evaluation of medicines can only be ensure by medical practitioners (MP) who prescribe them which is based on therapeutic responses and adverse effects they notice. Perspectives of MP about prescribed medicines, price, therapeutic responses, adverse effects and their awareness about different interactions are valuable and may initiate for better treatment and healthcare system. Method: A survey of 111 MP was conducted on one to one basis in a form of questionnaire. Frequency, percentage, Chi square and Friedman test were applied to check the association and rank between different attributes. Results: Branded generic is preferred over innovator branded generic and generic by 63.1% of MP because 64.9% believe it has good therapeutic response and 68% experienced it has mild adverse effects while only 0.9% assumed it has high adverse effect. Only generic considered as highly affordable but it is prescribed moderately or less preferably. Self study is the main source of medicine information for MP but all of them do not have excellent or good drug-drug and drug-food interactions knowledge. Patients only adhere to their 70-90%, 40-60% and 10-30% instructions according to 33.3%, 45.9% and 16.2% MP respectively. Conclusion: There is excessive demand of high quality generic products for better safety of patients irrespective of its affordability. Efficient training programs are required for some MP to improve average interactions knowledge. Patient non-adherence needs prior attention by implementing patient involvement in treatment decision and educating them.