US Pharm. 2009;34(9):34-36.
A study of consumers and physicians in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, India, Australia, and Singapore conducted by DDB Health and Omnicom M/A/R/C Research showed that consumers in those countries overwhelmingly prefer generic medications to branded medicines when offered the choice.
Asked whether they would prefer the latest medicine in its field or one that has been around for a while, 70% of the consumers researched said they'd take the older medications. More than half of the 1,800 consumers polled (54%) said they prefer generics to branded drugs. In the U.S. alone, 69% said they prefer generics.
According to Maria Tender, DDB director of brand planning, the study demonstrated that "consumers are not going to be as motivated to take action based solely on higher order/emotional end benefits in the pharmaceutical, or even in the well-being space. Today, more than ever, they will need to see tangible benefits ascribed to the brands."
Of the U.S. respondents, 55% said there had been more negative press about pharmaceutical companies in the past 5 years, and 47% said they trust those companies less than they did 5 years ago. On a more positive note, the report uncovered that consumers believe overwhelmingly that the benefits of most medicines outweigh the risks (67%) and that modern medicine has improved society (77%).
