Prospective study of the factors associated with the acceptance of generics substitution by patients and their liberal doctors

Many prescribers and patients remain reluctant to substitution to generics. We conducted a prospective observational study, using semi-structured interviews adapted to identify factors independently associated with the acceptance of alternative to a generic drug by doctors and patients. Between December 2014 and August 2015, 108 patients and 73 private doctors from Île-de-France and Nord-Pas-de-Calais were enrolled. Only 48 % of patients thought that the effectiveness and safety of generic were identical to the brand-name, 50 % had a favorable opinion and 36 % said they routinely accept substitution, especially when substitution was proposed by the general practitioner (68 % of patients). Age, gender, occupational status and the presence of a chronic condition were not associated to acceptance of substitution (P>0, 1), unlike the opinion (P