Accessibility to generic medicines

Abstract

Health care costs are one of the key concerns for many countries. As the price of innovative and complex therapies increases, availability and access to generic medicines is critical for the sustainability of healthcare systems. Globally, the level of patients acceptance to generic medicines is variable. In 2012, the generic market in Malta was still in its early stage, indicating the need for more awareness among the Maltese population. In Malta, the experience gained by the authorization and marketing of generics over the years implied that generic medicinal products are well accepted, however the local accessibility of generics is yet to be explored.