Retailers educate patients on generics' benefits

Drug Store News, Feb 17, 2003 by Liz Parks

"The old format caused many physicians to sign on the 'dispense as written' line, thereby ruling out the possibility of choosing a generic," Murphy observed. "The new system has the doctor signing on one line only, and this line reads 'substitution permitted.' A further directive underneath states that in order for a name brand to be dispensed, a note indicating that a brand name drug is medically necessary must be hand written by the physician, so the new law gives more choice to the patient and pharmacist to choose a generic."

Currently, about 38 percent of Happy Harry's prescription business in Delaware is for generics, but in states like Maryland and Pennsylvania, where Happy Harry's also operates stores and where a one-line signature prescription pad is standard, the generic portion of their prescription business is in the mid-40s.

"That's what we're shooting for," said Murphy, "and now that we have this new law, we should be able to get there in Delaware, as well."

Information dissemination

In Florida, Dan Miller, vice president of pharmacy operations for Eckerd, said generic prescriptions provide value to consumers by "treating their health conditions at an optimal level at a reduced cost to them or to their insurance carrier."

And that, Miller points out "can transmit into reduced or contained prescription coverage costs in the future."

Eckerd promotes generics by providing its customers with information about generics through brochures in its stores and by having pharmacists explain "the therapeutic equivalency and the benefits of generics in terms of savings."

Customers, said Miller, can also learn about generic prescriptions through the in-store signage, which he said Eckerd puts in place "based upon the state guidelines explaining that a generic alternative can be provided."

In New York, Duane Reade relies not only on ads in circulars and on the radio to help consumers develop an appreciation for the value of generics, but on pharmacists' own integrity.

"Bringing awareness to the consumers, that's how you get the message out," said Chris Lane, Duane Reade's vice president of pharmacy operations. "I'm a pharmacist, and I've been taking generics for a long time."

Last spring, Duane Reade introduced a sticker-on-package program that promotes generics. "Sometimes when a pharmacy is really busy, it's difficult to get the pharmacist to step away and talk to every customer about generics," Lane said. "So each time a branded drug is dispensed when there is a generic equivalent available, we put a sticker on the package ... to remind the patient to ask their pharmacists about the generic equivalent.

"It's helped with our customers because they're not being asked to spend time with us unless they have an interest in trying the generic equivalent, and it's helped educate our customers. And it's really helped propel sales of generics," Lane noted.

From March of last year to the end of December, Lane said, Duane Reade "exceeded our internal targets for growing generic sales and the trend upward is continuing."