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Phone: 02 8217 8700 | Fax: 02 9211 7578 | email: info@nps.org.au | web: www.nps.org.au
MEDIA RELEASE
3 September 2009
Get to know your medicines: ask your pharmacist!
During ‘Ask Your Pharmacist Week’ (31 August – 6 September), the National Prescribing Service
Ltd (NPS) and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia are reminding Australians that generic medicines are
an equal choice.
Australia has a comparatively low uptake of generic medicines compared to other countries in the
western world, even though generic medicines contain the same active ingredient as original brand
medicines and meet the same government standards. Only about 30 per cent of all Australian
prescriptions are for generic medicines, compared to over 50 per cent in the US, 44 per cent in the
Netherlands and 70 per cent in Denmark.
“Generic medicines work in the same way as brand name medicines. They contain the same active
ingredient, even if they don’t always look the same,” acting NPS CEO, Karen Kaye said.
“Some prescription medicines have several different generic brands, and the consumer may not
always receive the same one. For this reason it is vital consumers speak to their pharmacist or GP
about their medicine so they learn how to identify their medicines.”
Kos Sclavos, National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, says generic medicines can
offer value for money, and people should learn the active ingredient in all their medicines.
“Generic medicines can be a good option for many consumers as they are usually less expensive
than branded medicines. Your pharmacist is the best person to answer questions about your
medicines, and can help you decide if switching to a generic is right for you.”
“If you are unsure about any of your medicines, ask your pharmacist to explain what each medicine
is for, and which medicine the generic version replaces,” Mr Sclavos said.
Ms Kaye agrees and says getting to know your medicines can help reduce the risk of medicine-
related problems.
“By being familiar with the active ingredient name, consumers are reassured that the medicine they
are taking contains the active ingredient their doctor prescribed. From this, consumers can make
informed decisions and reduce the risk of potential confusion and medicine misadventure,” Ms Kaye
said.
To help people quickly identify the active ingredient in prescription medicines, NPS has developed
the NPS Medicine Name Finder. When a PBS-listed medicine is entered into the online tool, the
active ingredient name appears, and when the active ingredient is entered its brand names appear.
People are then prompted to record their medicine details on a downloadable Medicines List or print
the information. A link is also provided to the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet which
contains more details about the medicine.
NPS Medicines Lists and the NPS Medicine Name Finder are available to download for free at
Media enquiries to Katie Butt, NPS Media Adviser 0419 618 365
The National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation for quality use of
medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
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