Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is essentially an investigation into perceptions that exist in the medical field with regards to generic medicines and generic substitution. The study was conducted via the sampling of a variety of physicians, specialists and pharmacists in the Cape Peninsula. The primary test for these perceptions was the application of a five page questionnaire that the targeted sample group had to complete. South Africa entered a new era on political, social and economic levels with the election of a new democratic government. The reality is that South Africa is becoming more and more a third world country with deteriorating systems of health care and education, as a direct result of a shortage of funds and inadequate management or total lack thereof. It has also become more and more evident recently that this country is experiencing a "brain-drain", in that experienced and highly qualified people are leaving the country for mostly other first world countries, because they can no longer operate efficiently and effectively under the constraints imposed upon them by a shrinking health care budget. Government and private health departments constantly have to face the battle of containing costs so that they can operate in the way that they are supposed to. Unfortunately, with the constant escalation in the prices of medicine every year combined with a limited availability of funds, the problem just becomes worse every day with patients and medical aids suffering the most. One possible way in which an attempt could be made to reduce costs is to decrease the expenses of medicine, making more money available in other areas, or that the need for more medicines could be satisfied via having more money available as a result of these savings. Generic medicines are known to be less expensive than their ethical counterparts and can therefore contribute greatly to savings in this area, seeing that generic medicines mostly sell at 40%-50% of the price of the original. There are obviously more issues involved than just costs: the ethical issue of moral support to the ethical manufacturers that have done all the research and development of the original drug that now becomes "copied"; the issue of.quality and reliability of these "copycat" medicines; and the issue of the role that people in the medical field, government and other bodies should play in containing costs. These issues were addressed in the form of statements in the questionnaire and opinions were tested to see what perceptions exist, so that the marketers of medicines would know how to formulate their marketing plans and strategies in order to attain a bigger market share, or how to protect their current share of the market. The information should also prove handy to government and private health care organisations that should endeavour to contain costs wherever they can, seeing that they operate within the constraint of an allocated budget. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie projek is essensieel 'n ondersoek na persepsies wat bestaan in die mediese veld met betrekking tot generiese medisynes en generiese plaasvervanging. Vir die doel van die studie is "mediese veld" gedefinieer as die verskillende kategorieë van mediese dokters en aptekers wat elke dag met die vraagstuk te make het. Die steekproef was dus mediese dokters, spesialiste en aptekers in die Kaapse Skiereiland. Die primere toetsinstrument was 'n vyf-bladsy vraelys wat 35 stellings bevat het waarin 8 faktore verskans was waarvoor die navorser getoets het. Suid-Afrika het 'n nuwe era betree met die daarstelling en verkiesing van 'n nuwe demokratiese regering van nasionale eenheid waarin alle Suid-Afrikaners deelname het. Die realiteite van Suid-Afrika vandag is dat dit meer en meer sy derde wêreld komponente openbaar waarvan die bestaan vantevore deur die eerste wêreld komponent geïgnoreer is. Die resultaat is dat gesondheidsorg en opvoedkundige sisteme aan die verkrummel is vanweë 'n tekort aan fondse asook oneffektiewe bestuur. Dit is dan ook onvermydelik dat 'n groot aantalleiers en kenners op hierdie gebiede besluit om die land te verlaat en na hoofsaaklik eerste wêreld lande emigreer, waar hulle in 'n veel mindere mate te kampe het met die probleme van swak bestuur en veral onder befondsing in die onderskeie areas van hulle spesialiteit. Dit laat 'n gaping wat gevul moet word deur swakker bestuur wat die probleem vererger. Regering- en privaat mediese departemente gaan gebuk onder die las van krimpende begrotings en 'n stygende vraag na mediese sorg, medisynes en ander geriewe. Dit is ook 'n voldonge feit dat mediese tariewe bly styg, dat medisynes konstant al hoe duurder word en dat daagliks waargeneem word dat daar 'n ondervoorsiening van personeel en medikasie in hospitale en ander gesondheidsorganisasies is. Die partye wat aan die kortste end trek is die pasient en die mediese fondse. Een moontlike wyse waarop hierdie probleem van stygende kostes aangespreek kan word is om die uitgawes op medisynes te beperk sonder om minder medisynes te koop, sodat meer geld beskikbaar sal wees vir ander behoeftes. Dit is bekend dat generiese medisynes heelwat goedkoper is as hulle etiese "broers" en dat die gebruikmaking hiervan kan lei tot besparings so groot as selfs 60% en meer. Daar is duidelik meer vraagstukke betrokke rondom die hele aangeleentheid van generiese medisynes en generiese plaasvervanging soos: die etiese vraagstuk aangaande morele ondersteuning aan die etiese firmas wat al die navorsing en ontwikkeling van die oorspronklike produkte doen en wat nou net gedupliseer word deur die generiese vervaardigers; die vraagstuk aangaande die betroubaarheid en kwaliteit van hierdie "duplikate"; asook die vraagstuk rondom die rol wat persone in die mediese veld en regerings- en- privaatinstansies moet vervul in die bekamping van stygende kostes. Hierdie vraagstukke is geadresseer in die vraelyste as stellings en opinies is getoets om vas te stel wat die huidige persepsies rondom die aangeleentheid van generiese produkte en generiese plaasvervanging is. Die belang van die kennis van hierdie opinies en persepsies is dat dit onontbeerlike inligting verskaf aan die bemarkers van farmaseutiese produkte en medisynes aangesien 'n bemarkingsplan en bemarkingstrategie hier rondom gevorm kan word, sodat maniere uitgewerk kan word om markaandeel te vergroot of om markaandeel te behou.

Generic drugs and generic substitution from the patient perspective I. Autor: Jana Novotná Supervisor: PharmDr. Josef Malý, Ph.D. Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague Introduction: Generic substitution and generic drugs are important instruments of drug policy in many countries, which allow to reduce price of medicines, while maintaining their quality. Experience shows that a prerequisite for the rational use of both instruments is sufficient awareness among both health professionals and patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the opinions, knowledge and experience of patients regarding generic drugs and generic substitution. Methods: Data were collected between 1 March 2015 and 31 March 2015 in a workplace practitioner in Prague. It was an observational survey. We contacted all patients who visited a doctor during that period. Patients had to agree to their inclusion in the investigation and also meet "inclusion criteria" (e.g., at least 18 years old, literate in Czech, long-term use at least one medicine). The questionnaire included 28 questions (4 open and 24 closed), focusing on socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge, opinions, experiences and self-activity of the respondent regarding generic...

Generic drugs and generic substitution from the patient perspective II. Autor: Martina Kůtková Tutor: PharmDr. Josef Malý, Ph.D. Department of Social and Clinical Pharmay, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague Introduction and aim: Generic drugs and generic substitution are an integral part of the healthcare systems of many countries. The aim of this thesis was to carry out an research which was focused on attitudes, opinions and experiences of patients (general public) regarding generic drugs and generic substitution and to analyze extracted results. Metodology: Data were collected since February to June 2016 in a workplace practicioner in Jičín. We asked all patients who came to the doctor's office during that period. Data were collected through printing anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire was piloted. Patients got a cover letter with questionnaire together. Respondents were categorized based on the cover letter and the questionnaire was filled out by the respondents who the survey was focused on. The questionnaire included 36 questions (26 closed, 7 open and 3 half-open). The first part of the questionnaire (first 10 questions) was focused on socio- demographic characteristics of respondents. The rest of the questionnaire detected patient's knowledge of...

by Chow Yiu Ho, Andrew, Chui Wai Shun, Clare. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1988. / Bibliography: leaves 124-125.

Background. Good health care is becoming increasingly unaffordable. A wider use of generic medicines offers significant cost savings. As the family practitioner is the gatekeeper in prescribing medicines, his attitude towards generic medicines is crucial. The factors that influence family practitioners' prescription of pharmaceuticals require investigation. Objectives. The primary objective of this study is to assess attitudes and perceptions that family practitioners have towards generic medicines and evaluate factors that influence its prescription. The secondary aim is to assess the individual characteristics and personality traits of family practitioners that may impact on generic prescription. Methods. This study is a convenient sample of 198 family practitioners that are surveyed by means of a questionnaire. Responses were based largely on a Likert scale and evaluated by factor analysis. Results. Using factor analysis, five factors identified in the order of importance are as follows: 1) Patient factors: It is primarily the patients' disease profile and their financial capacity that determines the use of generic versus ethical drugs. 2) Clinical autonomy of the family practitioners: Family practitioners resent their clinical decisions being challenged by managed care organisations. 3) Strategies promoting generics: Improved marketing by the generic pharmaceutical industry and the provisions of acceptable financial incentives are likely to promote wider use of generics. 4) Cost of medicines: Most family practitioners are price-sensitive. A further reduction in the price of generic medicines is therefore likely to increase the use. 5) Specialists' opinion: Specialists use fewer generics and their choice of medication is respected by family practitioners. A wider use of generic medicines by specialists will positively impact on generic prescription by family practitioners. Personality traits and individual characteristics of the family practitioners do not affect their prescription of generic medicines. It is noted that most family practitioners have encountered specific instances of reduced efficacy, an increased side-effect profile, substandard packaging, erratic availability and poor patient confidence with the use of generic drugs. Conclusion. In order to bring about a reduction in the healthcare costs by promoting wider use of generics, different stakeholders in the industry need to act synergistically. All stakeholders need to increase the awareness of generic medicines by continuing health education. Specific recommendations for the generic pharmaceutical industry include increased marketing, further reduction in the price of generics and implementation of research and surveillance studies to ensure satisfactory clinical efficacy of their drugs. Medicines Control Council need to closely monitor the number and quality of available generic medicines. Managed care organisations need to respect the clinical autonomy of family practitioners and work closely with them. Finally, acceptable and ethical incentives need to be considered for family practitioners, the gatekeepers, to achieve the objective of wider use of generic medicines. / Thesis (M.B.A.)-University of Natal, 2001.

Generic drugs and generic substitution from the patient perspective III. Author: Terezie Papoušková Tutor: PharmDr. Josef Malý, Ph.D. Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University Introducion: A generic substitution is one of the instruments of the drug policy in many countries. Its authorization is supposed to bring a considerable savings not only for healthcare systems but also for patients. Objective: The aim of this thesis was to analyse patient's attitudes, opinions and experiences,which are related to the generic drugs and the generic substitution. Methodology: A data collection was gathered in the general practitioner's office in Prague in the time span from 18th of November 2015 to 21st of November 2016. All respondents, who visited the general practitioner during this period, were asked to cooperate. Only those who meet the input criteria could participate in a questionnaire investigation. The questionnaire consists of 36 questions which can be devided into 5 thematic areas (an actual disease and its treatment, socio-demographics characteristics, common awareness about generic substitution and generic drugs, own experiences with this topic, attitudes of the respondents). The questionnaire was piloted. The acquired data has been...

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. / This dissertation attempts to document the social life of Indian generic pharmaceuticals within the broader material culture of pharmaceuticals in Johannesburg. Foregrounding the question of value created in circulation, the study explores how conduits of generic pharmaceutical flow are saturated with the global politics of humanitarianism, locally embedded profitmaking efforts by businesspersons based on risk, cultural moorings of pharmaceutical relations, and historical specificities of locations in which pharmaceuticals have been mobilized for consumption. The central method is the ethnography of circulation. By documenting the ‘moral claims’ of Indian pharma capital as manifested in the public culture of pharmaceutical business, the discussion places the intersectionality of moral and material transactions at the centrestage of pharmaceutical sales and the creation of value / MT2017

Scientists always face difficulties dealing with disjointed information. There is a need for a standardized and robust way to represent and exchange knowledge. Ontology has been widely used for this purpose. However, since research involves semantics and operations, we need to conceptualize both of them. In this thesis, we propose ReShare to provide a solution for this problem. Maximizing utilization while preserving the semantics is one of the main challenges when the heterogeneous knowledge is combined. Therefore, operational annotations were designed to allow generic object modeling, binding and representation. Furthermore, a test bed is developed and preliminary results are presented to show the usefulness and robustness of our approach. Moreover, two aggregation techniques for fusing ontology matchers are investigated as an initial work for building an algorithm which converts descriptive ontologies into operational ones.

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The process of design is time consuming and result oriented. There is always a better scope for any design that reduces the time with better precision. Considering this as a major factor during design process, two of the vital parts of the aircraft conceptual design are taken into account where a lot of time can be saved. Major components considered in this work are fairings for the lift generating surfaces and cockpit windshield. In this work the major inference is to reduce the time spent on the initial conceptual design. The two components designed in this work are fairings and windshield. The fairing design in this work provides a flexible template which can be used for various fuselage and wing configurations for transport aircrafts. The windshield is classified into two types in this work, flat and blend windshield. Both the type of windshields can be implemented on appropriate fuselage. Both the components are designed to be implemented in single pilot as well as double pilot aircrafts. They also have parameters which can be modified according to the user requirement. The changes in the parameters provide the change in shape, size and volume of the components. The software used for this is CATIA V5. The process is carried out using two automation methods available in CATIA namely Power-Copy and Knowledge pattern. A comparison between the effectiveness of two automation methods used in this work is performed.