Patients’ Perception of Generic Drugs at Health Institutions in Trinidad and Tobago

Background: Generic drugs are manufactured to be similar to their brand name counterparts. They are procured by healthcare organizations and governments to provide accessible and affordable medicines for patients worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate the perception of patients regarding generic drugs. Methods: A non-randomized, cross sectional, convenient sample study design was employed. Patients were interviewed, at selected chronic disease clinics at health institutions in the North Central region of Trinidad, using a questionnaire to garner their perception of generic drugs. Results: While 30.43% of patients knew the names of their prescribed medicines, 74.75% did not know what a generic drug was. After patients were appropriately educated, both the single-item question on perception and the total perception domain demonstrated ‘good’, followed by ‘excellent’ general perception of generic drugs. Conclusion: The use of generic drugs can provide cost-effective, therapeutic benefits to the healthcare sector. Consequently, patient education on the advantages of generic drugs can improve their acceptance.