More generic medicines prescribed

PRESCRIPTIONS for generic medicines on the Islands rose by 13.02 percent during 2006.
These prescriptions made up 21.36 percent of all medicines sold, a figure which is 5.49 percent above the national average of 15.87 percent.
This was confirmed by the Balearic Health Service (IB-Salut). In accordance with these figures prescriptions for generic medicines in the region during 2006 cost 18'862'174 euros. That is to say, some 10.12 percent of the total spending on medicines in the islands was on generic medicines. The islands closed the year as one of the autonomous regions where the rise in spending on medicines has been most controlled, only bested by Andalucia (4.58 percent), Catalonia (4.6 percent) and Castilla and Leon (4.85 percent). Spending on medicines on the islands had increased by 4.88 percent, slightly less than one percentage point below the national average of 5.82 percent. Generic medicines are identified with the letters EFG and have the same effectiveness, safety and quality as the branded ones. The only difference is that one is branded and the other is not and the price is lower.