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Generic dispensing rates for substitutable drugs prescribed by general practitioners compared with other private ambulatory specialists: A study based on a French national reimbursement database

Hugo FIGONI, Kim BONELLO, Sarah ROBERT and Candice ESTELLA

The use of generic drugs has been encouraged worldwide for several decades. Although increasing, their use in France remains limited in international comparisons. In the literature, among the factors associated with their use, several are linked to the prescriber, including their specialty. To our knowledge, this association has never been studied in France.The use of generic drugs has been encouraged worldwide for several decades. Although increasing, their use in France remains limited in international comparisons. In the literature, among the factors associated with their use, several are linked to the prescriber, including their specialty. To our knowledge, this association has never been studied in France.We used a sample of an open available semi-aggregated database from the 2019 French health insurance system database. We compared with logistic regression models GPs to all other specialities combined, then GPs to the 19 other specialties taken individually, only on the substitutable drugs they prescribe in common.We used a sample of an open available semi-aggregated database from the 2019 French health insurance system database. We compared with logistic regression models GPs to all other specialities combined, then GPs to the 19 other specialties taken individually, only on the substitutable drugs they prescribe in common.To our knowledge, this study is the first in the French context to investigate the prescriber's specialty as a factor influencing generic dispensing, based on exhaustive community pharmacy dispensing data. Since we did not have access to the content of the prescriptions, we were unable to evaluate at which point in the drug use chain the difference occurred.To our knowledge, this study is the first in the French context to investigate the prescriber's specialty as a factor influencing generic dispensing, based on exhaustive community pharmacy dispensing data. Since we did not have access to the content of the prescriptions, we were unable to evaluate at which point in the drug use chain the difference occurred.