Cost savings of switching private sector consumption from originator brand medicines to generic equivalents

Overview

In low- and middle-income countries, originator  brand medicines generally cost substantially more  than their generic equivalents. Patients purchasing medicines in the private sector pay,  on average, 2.6 times  more  for originator brand than  for their lowest-priced generic  equivalent. In some  low- and middle income countries, this  price differential is  more than 10-fold.  

This report is part of a series, The World Health Report 2010 Background Papers, which were written to inform the process of developing the key messages of the World Health Report 2010: Health systems financing: The path to universal coverage.