The Impact of Generic Labels on Compliance

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Status: Completed

Conditions: Generic Label; Brand-name Label

Treatments: Other: Label

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01862406

UFSC-CEPSH-649-322600

Details and patient eligibility

About

Although generic drugs are pharmacologically equivalent to their brand-name counterparts, prejudices against the former remain strong among patients and doctors. In a randomized controlled field experiment, this research assesses the extent to which generic (versus brand-name) labels affect patients' consumption dosage, medication compliance and reported pain.

Full description

One hundred one patients scheduled to undergo invasive dental surgeries (i.e., dental implants) participated in the experiment. After dental surgery, patients were prescribed a once-daily analgesic regimen for up to 7 days. The intervention consisted of label manipulation. Patients were randomly assigned to either the brand-name analgesic or to its (purportedly) cheaper generic version. In reality, all participants obtained the same brand-name medication. The medication was provided at no cost, and patients were instructed to take the first pill while at the clinic. They were informed that they could (a) increase the dosage of the prescribed analgesic to twice daily if necessary and (b) stop taking the medication when no longer needed. Any other changes to the regimen were discouraged, and patients were instructed to consult with the dentist before any such changes. Telephone follow-ups were conducted at 24 hours, 4 days, and 7 days after surgery. Two main dependent variables were obtained: the number of prescribed analgesics consumed and the number of non-prescribed analgesics consumed. The patients also reported the pain felt during the period.

Enrollment: 101 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients scheduled to undergo dental implants and/or bone graft surgeries at the UFSC dental clinic

Exclusion criteria

• Patients not scheduled to undergo these treatments

Trial design

101 participants in 2 patient groups

Generic Label

Experimental group

Description:

Purportedly generic version of the analgesic presented

Treatment:

Other: Label

Brand-name Label

Active Comparator group

Description:

actual brand-name analgesic presented

Treatment:

Other: Label