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Determinants of generic vs. brand drug choice: Evidence from population-wide Danish data

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  • Skipper, Niels
  • Vejlin, Rune

Abstract

We investigate if demand for branded prescription medications in post-patent markets is patient- or doctor driven. When drugs go off-patent the brand medication often maintains non-negligible market shares. We use population-wide Danish data including all prescriptions for seven blockbuster drugs from 1998 to 2008, which amounts to 13,415,012 prescriptions. At the outset, descriptive statistics suggest large variation in drug choice over doctors. Nonetheless, using a two-way fixed effects model we find that the primary determinants of brand drug use are unobserved patient characteristics and price effects.

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  • Skipper, Niels & Vejlin, Rune, 2015. "Determinants of generic vs. brand drug choice: Evidence from population-wide Danish data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 204-215.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:130:y:2015:i:c:p:204-215
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.01.013
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    Cited by:

    1. Dag Morten Dalen & Marilena Locatelli & Steinar Strøm, 2018. "An Equilibrium Model Estimated on Pharmaceutical Data," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 46(3), pages 281-296, September.
    2. Kaiser, Ulrich & Mendez, Susan J. & Rønde, Thomas & Ullrich, Hannes, 2014. "Regulation of pharmaceutical prices: Evidence from a reference price reform in Denmark," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 174-187.
    3. Izhak, Olena, 2019. "Extra costs of integrity: Pharmacy markups and generic substitution in Finland," DICE Discussion Papers 307, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    4. Fiorentini, Gianluca & Bruni, Matteo Lippi & Mammi, Irene, 2022. "The same old medicine but cheaper: The impact of patent expiry on physicians’ prescribing behaviour," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 37-68.
    5. Nunes, Alexandre Morais & Ferreira, Diogo Cunha & de Matos, Andreia & Julião, Rui Miranda, 2020. "The Portuguese generic medicines market: What’s next?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(4), pages 397-403.
    6. David Zimmer, 2018. "Did the Demand for Crestor Shrink when Lipitor’s Patent Expired?," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 139-149, June.
    7. Lins Ferreira, Vinicius & Pereira da Veiga, Cássia Rita & Kudlawicz-Franco, Claudineia & Scalercio, Priscila & Ramires, Yohanna & Pontarolo, Roberto & Carvalho, Denise Maria W. & da Veiga, Claudimar , 2017. "Generic drugs in times of economic crisis: Are there changes in consumer purchase intention?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 1-7.
    8. Ito, Yuki & Hara, Konan & Kobayashi, Yasuki, 2020. "The effect of inertia on brand-name versus generic drug choices," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 364-379.
    9. Granlund, David & Sundström, David, 2018. "Physicians prescribing originals causes welfare losses," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 143-146.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Denmark; Prescription drug demand; Fixed effects; Brand preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics

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