Medicare Beneficiaries Favor Brand Names

A recent study shows that Medicare beneficiaries favor brand name drugs over generics - unless it affects their own bottom line. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, data shows that beneficiaries choose brand name drugs when they are covered under Medicare Part D, but switch to generics when they must pay for the drugs out of their own pockets. These study results may indicate that beneficiaries believe that brand names work better than generics. However, the FDA requires that generics be medically equivalent to the associated brand name drug.