Abstract

Background: Access to health-care facilities and essential medicines still remains a worldwide problem, particularly in developing countries. Greater awareness among health-care professional regarding generic drugs may translate into the increased consumption of generic drugs and reduction in healthcare costs wild maintaining the safety efficacy and quality off health-care system.

Aim and Objectives: This study was conducted to analyze the knowledge and perception of generic medicines among MBBS and Nursing students in a medical teaching institute.

Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 students (172 MBBS, 88 Nursing course) in Government Medical College Jalgaon, to assess knowledge and attitude of students for generic medicines. Descriptive statistics and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to analyze the responses.

Results: Most respondents from MBBS (86%) and nursing course (89%) agree to need more information about how bioequivalence test are conducted for generic medicine. Perception about branded medicines requiring high quality standards as compared to generic medicines was high in both courses’ students with 69.3% of nursing students and 43.6% of MBBS students having wrong perception. About 77.4% of MBBS students and 42% of nursing students responded positively to the statement about generic medicines being cheaper than branded drugs.

Conclusion: Students from both the courses showed eagerness to have more information, were lacking in the knowledge, and had confused attitude toward generic medicines. Proper education and training may impart proper knowledge and change the attitude among students toward the generic medicines.

Key words: Generic Medicines; Bioequivalence; Knowledge; Perception; Medical students; Nursing Students