About The New Medicare Drug Benefit

Pharmacists and their customers could benefit from having more information to help them understand and compare the costs of prescription drugs, according to a new AARP study that looks at attitudes and practices regarding the use of generic drugs. ; Most pharmacists agree that generic drugs must be therapeutically equivalent with brand name drugs, and most support generic substitution, the study found. More than two-thirds (68%) of pharmacists say they support generic substitution for brand name drugs in most cases and about one-third (32%) say they support generic substitution for brand name drugs in all cases where a generic is available. ; Pharmacists say their customers frequently want to talk to them about their prescription drugs costs. However, only one-third say they only feel somewhat prepared for this conversation, and only 60% say they understand their customers’ concerns about drug costs very well. ; The vast majority of pharmacists – more than eight in ten (85%) – say it is somewhat or very important for the new Medicare drug benefit to promote the use of generic drugs. The benefit takes effect in 2006. ; But, more than half (53%) say they need resources such as brochures or other handouts to