Policy objective of generic medicines from the investment perspective: The case of clopidogrel (Péter Elek et al., 2017)

Elek, P., Harsányi, A., Zelei, T., Csetneki, K., & Kaló, Z. Health Policy, 121(5), 558-565. The objective of generic drug policies in most countries is defined from a disinvestment perspective: reduction in expenditures without compromising health outcomes. However, in countries with restricted access of patients to original patented drugs, the objective of generic drug policies can also be defined from an investment perspective: health gain by improved patient access without need for additional health budget. This study examines the investment aspect of generic medicines by analyzing clopidogrel utilization in European countries between 2004 and 2014 using multilevel panel data models. We...