Generic Prescribing: Guidance for Prescribers in NHSGGC
The GGC Formulary primarily recommends the prescription of generic medicines and the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee (ADTC) have previously issued guidance for prescribers to support generic prescribing:
ADTC supports a policy of generic prescribing for the majority of medicines. In some cases, the generic versions of a medicine may not have the exact same indications listed on the market authorisation as the original branded medicine. However, as bioequivalence to the original branded medicine must have been demonstrated as part of the generic market authorisation process, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde ADTC considers that any additional risks of prescribing and dispensing the medicine generically are negligible.
Exceptions to the generic prescribing policy are:
- when the pharmacokinetic profiles of different brands of the same medicine differ widely
- medicines with a narrow therapeutic index where any variation in the drug concentration in the blood increases the risk of toxicity or treatment failure for the patient.
- to prevent confusion between preparations e.g. when prescribing inhaler devices (with the exception of salbutamol metered dose inhalers)
Where formulary medicines should be prescribed by brand name, this will be indicated in the prescribing notes of the GGC Formulary entry. This advice does not override an individual clinician’s decision to prescribe what they believe to be the most appropriate treatment for an individual patient.
Published 29/03/2021. Medicines Update blogs are correct at the time of publication.