What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to evaluate pharmacy students' understanding and attitudes towards generic medicines.

July 2, 20260 citationsOpen Access

Knowledge and Perception of Generic Medicines Among Pharmacy Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey

RKRajiv Yadav1*, Jatin2, Khem Chand3, Kavita Yadav4, Vikram Kumar1

Key Points

The aim is to evaluate pharmacy students' understanding and attitudes towards generic medicines.
Cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted among 112 B.Pharmacy students.
Data collection from January to April 2026 with equal representation across academic years.
Responses analyzed using descriptive statistics to present frequencies and percentages.
90% of participants had heard about generic medicines, but only 25% knew they are therapeutically equivalent to branded medicines.
90% recognized generic medicines as less expensive, and 89% acknowledged they contain the same active ingredients.
80% believed in the effectiveness of generic medicines, while 29% had accurate awareness of regulatory approval.

Abstract

Background: Generic medicines are cost-effective alternatives to branded medicines and play a crucial role in improving access to healthcare. Adequate knowledge and positive perceptions among future pharmacists are essential for promoting generic medicine utilization. Objective: To assess the knowledge and perception of generic medicines among undergraduate pharmacy students at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baba Mastnath University, Rohtak, Haryana, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 112 B.Pharmacy students from January to April 2026. Students from all four professional years participated, with approximately equal representation from each academic year. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of demographic, knowledge, and perception-related items. The responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: Among the participants, 90% had heard about generic medicines. Only 25% correctly believed that generic medicines are therapeutically equivalent to branded medicines, whereas 55% disagreed and 20% were unsure. Awareness regarding regulatory approval was limited, with only 29% responding correctly. Most students recognized that generic medicines are less expensive than branded medicines (90%) and contain the same active ingredients (89%). Regarding perception, 80% believed generic medicines are as effective as branded medicines, 66% considered them safe, 70% would recommend them to patients, and 70% supported their promotion by pharmacists. Additionally, 92% favored conducting awareness programs regarding generic medicines. Conclusion: Pharmacy students demonstrated satisfactory awareness regarding the affordability and composition of generic medicines but showed deficiencies in understanding therapeutic equivalence and regulatory approval requirements. Educational interventions are needed to improve knowledge and strengthen confidence in generic medicine utilization.

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