Perceptions of the quality of generic medicines: implications for trust in public services within the local health system in Tumkur, India

Generic medicines are an important policy option to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on medicines. The aim of the study was to test the quality of generic and branded medicines and explain negative perceptions towards generic medicines. The study found that generic and branded variants of the medicines tested were of comparable quality. Contrary to the quality test results, patients’ and health workers’ perceptions of quality were largely in favour of branded medicines. To succeed, access to medicines programmes need to systematically invest in information on quality of medicines and develop strategies to build trust in healthcare offered in government health services

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Aivalli PK, Elias MA, Pati MK, Bhanuprakash S, Munegowda C, Shroff ZC et al. Perceptions of the quality of generic medicines: implications for trust in public services within the local health system in Tumkur, India. BMJ Global Health. 2018;2(Suppl 3):e000644. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000644