An unprecedented survey by the Brazilian Association of Generic Drug Manufacturers, Progenéricos, which compiled a ranking of the 20 most prescribed drugs in the country between February 2013 and February 2014, shows that generics now account for 13 products in the ranking, corresponding to 65% of the total.
The survey, which was based on indicators from Close Up, an institute that audits medical prescriptions in Brazil, also points out that all products prescribed by the brand are already covered in the generic segment.
Table
“Research shows us that generics now account for the majority of prescriptions, but it is important to note that this category of medicines is ready to replace all other products that doctors have chosen to prescribe by brand name,” says Telma Salles, executive president of PróGenéricos. She points out that generics already treat more than 95% of the diseases listed by the Ministry of Health.
With prices 35% lower than reference products, as required by law, generics are the only products that can currently replace the brand-name products indicated in prescriptions. This is because they undergo testing that guarantees quality, efficacy, and safety identical to those of the innovative product. The switch to a generic can be made by the pharmacist and requested by the consumer.
Expansion through smart exchange
Thanks to this legal prerogative of interchangeability (replacing the reference product with the generic), generics have been gaining more and more space in the Brazilian market. Data from IMS Health, an institute that audits retail sales in the sector, show that generics reached a historic market share in the country in February: 28.2%.
“A Datafolha survey shows that 58% of the Brazilian population considers generics to be reliable, which supports the argument that generics are gaining ground by replacing reference products without any risk to the efficacy and safety of treatments,” says the executive.
In the first two months of 2014, generics recorded an 18% growth in sales volume, totaling 130.8 million units sold, compared to 112.5 million last year. In terms of value, sales in this category reached a cumulative total of R$2.3 billion between January and February 2014, representing a cumulative growth of 21.7%. "We are the driving force behind the pharmaceutical industry in Brazil. While we grew 18%, the total market grew only 12%, which shows our strength," says Salles.
The savings accumulated by Brazilian consumers who chose to replace brand-name products with generics from 2000 to 2013 has already reached R$43.4 billion.
Popular Pharmacy
The president of PróGenéricos also points out that government pharmaceutical assistance programs, such as Farmácia Popular, are also fundamental for the growth of the sector and the strengthening of companies. "Today, in the public sector, more than a legal obligation, doctors prescribe generics because they know that the product works, that it is of high quality, and that the population can afford it," she says. Generic drugs account for 85% of the volume of products dispensed by the Farmácia Popular Program, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
About ProGenerics
Founded in January 2001, the Brazilian Association of Generic Drug Manufacturers (Pró Genéricos) is an entity that brings together the main laboratories involved in the production and marketing of generic drugs in the country.
A non-profit organization, its main mission is to contribute to improving access to medicines in Brazil by consolidating and expanding the generic drug market.
Together, PróGenéricos members account for approximately 90% of generic drug sales in Brazil. Working with various sectors of society and public and private institutions, Pró Genéricos channels the actions of its members, adding weight to the public debate on issues relevant to the health sector and the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Brazil. Visit the website: www.progenericos.org.br