The next stage in the National Prescribing Service's (NPS) generic medicines consumer awareness campaign is set to begin next week.
The "Generic medicines are an equal choice" campaign launches with television commercials, which include two 30-second and two 15-second features, and will air for two weeks on all stations in regional and metropolitan areas from 27 October.
The commercials deliver the message that generic medicines are an equal choice and that they contain the same active ingredient as original brands. They also state that generic medicines meet the same Government standards and encourage consumers to speak with their pharmacist and doctor.
A resource kit for pharmacy has been developed in consultation with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, practicing pharmacists and consumers. The generic medicines pharmacy kit aims to provide pharmacy staff with support for best practice when discussing generic medicines with consumers.
The kit comprises prescription intake forms, prescription repeat folders, best practice guidelines and new ancillary labels that highlight the active ingredient when brands are substituted.
The ancillary labels are provided as an alternative to the existing label 15 in the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook (APF). The new-look label emphasises the importance of, and encourages pharmacists and their staff to discuss, the active ingredient name on the label. It is larger than the existing label to increase readability and includes an area to write the name of the active ingredient.
"Consumers are being encouraged to know the active ingredients in their medicines. 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," said NPS deputy CEO Karen Kaye.
As the publisher of the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) said it would be interested to receive feedback on the new alternative version of cautionary label 15.