Generics with added value
Medicinal products with added value are drugs with an already known medicinal substance that satisfy patient medical necessities and offer them and medical workers and health insurance companies a relevant improvement. The improvements brought in by these medicines are higher effectiveness, safety, and acceptance. Among them, there could also be easier administration of the drug as well as easier and new therapeutic uses of the medication.
How to reach an improvement of generics with added value
New medication purpose – new indication
New therapeutic use is being sought for already known medications which have originally been developed for a different usage. A prominent example of this is a preparation with the medical substance sildenafil. Originally, it was developed as an antihypertensive (treatment of high blood pressure). Later, it was also used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension.
A new indication was also discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic for long-used drugs containing the medicinal substance dexamethasone. The drugs reduced the mortality rate of hospitalised patients by a third.
Other examples are:
- Medicinal substance memantine – Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s disease,
- Medicinal substance propranolol – cardiovascular to oncological,
- Medicinal substance plerixafor – HIV infection in oncology,
- Medicinal substance bromocriptine – Parkinson’s disease to type II diabetes
Reformulation – new medicinal form
Reformulation is a development of a different dosage form for the same drug, i.e. finding new methods of combining various medicinal substances of the drug with the aim of producing a new final medicinal product. A typical example is painkillers, which work faster due to their innovative medicinal form. Thanks to the gel capsules, patients experience relief up to twice as fast as when applying a classic pill.
Other examples:
- from a standard release to a rapid release of the active substance (bromocriptine),
- from an intravenous to a subcutaneous injection (trastuzumab),
- from injection liquid to a pre-filled syringe (methotrexate),
- from a sublingual pill to a transdermal patch (buprenorphine).
New combinations – a new treatment regimen, addition of new technology
A combination of known molecules with new digital technology can support better adherence to therapy by way of improved feedback and patient education with respiratory diseases. For example, the smart inhalers detect whether a dose has been given correctly. They can also track adherence to treatment so that the doctors could better decide about dosing and the identification of patients in need of additional training on inhaler use.
What advantages do medications with added value bring?
Patients
At the moment, patients want to be more responsible for their own health. Among other advantages, preparations with added value offer them easier application, better overview of the results of medication, as well as higher cooperation with the doctor in the setting of the most appropriate treatment and the probability of following the medical regime (adherence) by the patient.
The setting of products with added value
At the moment, medications with added value do not have a special setting. There are no set mechanisms that are capable of recognising innovation and supporting development and research. Unfortunately, this innovation is not reflected by the public insurance system and the preparations do not have any advantage over those that do not bring innovation shown in the examples above.
Healthcare workers
Medications with added value provide doctors with greater flexibility in the selection of therapy which leads to better results. Doctors can choose from a wider range of medical options while using known medical substances that allow each patient to receive specialised treatment based on their needs.
Medications with added value offer a well-known safety profile based on existing medicinal substances which forms trust in the use of alternatives that are better adjusted to the lives and needs of certain patients. Fewer side-effects, better methods of medication administration, new medicinal forms and easier manipulation are some of the advantages that the medications with added value bring to the health workers so that patients can be treated more effectively.
Payers
Medications with added value offer the possibility of adjusting the treatment to concrete patient groups and limiting the misuse of medical drugs which can lead to the failure of the treatment and unnecessary expenses of the public health insurance.