A review of patient perspectives on generics substitution: what are the challenges for optimal drug use

As the review focused on the patients' perspectives Introduction: With a few exceptions, generic drug use has been promoted in western countries by allowing pharmacists to substitute drugs defined as therapeutically equivalent generics. The aim of this literature review is to summarise the research on the patients' perspectives of generics substitution in the western world between 2000 and 2011 with special emphasis on the challenges these attitudes present for optimal drug use. Methods: A literature search was undertaken in MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase (Ovid), and SciVerse Scopus with the aim of identifying all the peer reviewed, original research articles concerning patient perspectives on generics substitution in western countries published between 1 January 2000 and 1 March 2011.