What lessons can be learned from the launch of generic clopidogrel

Baumgartel, Christoph and Godman, Brian and Vitry, Agnes and Ringerud, Anne M. and Sermet, Catherine and Zara, Corrine and Koskinen, Hanna and Herholz, Harald and Bennie, Marion (2012) What lessons can be learned from the launch of generic clopidogrel. Generics and Biosimilars Initiative journal, 1 (2). pp. 58-68. ISSN 2033-6772 (https://doi.org/10.5639/gabij.2012.0102.016)

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Abstract

Resource pressures will continue to grow. Consequently, health authorities and health insurance agencies need to take full advantage of the availability of generics in order to continue funding comprehensive health care particularly in Europe. Generic clopidogrel provides such an opportunity in view of appreciable worldwide sales of the originator. However, early formulations contained different salts and only limited indications. Consequently, there is a need to assess responses by the authorities to the early availability of generic clopidogrel including potential reasons preventing them from taking full advantage of the situation. In addition, it is necessary to determine the extent of initial price reductions obtained in practice to guide future activities. Feedback from health authorities and health insurance personnel involved with the reforms surrounding generic clopidogrel was principally used to assess authority responses as there is limited information in the public domain. Abu Dhabi has been included as a representative of the Middle East since it has introduced compulsory international non-proprietary name (INN) prescribing except for limited situations. Generic clopidogrel is not one of these – providing direction to other health authorities alongside, e.g. Lithuania. Australia has also been included in view of the high court ruling in favour of generic clopidogrel. Authorities from across Australia, Europe and the Middle East typically adopted a pragmatic approach to the availability of generic clopidogrel to enhance its prescribing and dispensing once approved by regulatory agencies such as EMA. This included guidance to enhance its utilisation such as academic publications, co-payment incentives and compulsory INN prescribing. However, this was not always possible with challenges to the availability of generics in some countries. Again, there was appreciable variation in the initial price reductions for generic clopidogrel versus the originator. Authorities can take full advantage of the early availability of generics despite different formulations and indications. Pharmaceutical companies need to accept this in order to help fund new premium price products as resource pressures grow.

ORCID iDs

Baumgartel, Christoph, Godman, Brian, Vitry, Agnes, Ringerud, Anne M., Sermet, Catherine, Zara, Corrine, Koskinen, Hanna, Herholz, Harald and Bennie, Marion ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4046-629X;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)