Generic medicines can fund Australian government reforms

As Australia holds its collective breath waiting for the election date, minds turn to how the next the government is going to bring the country back into budget surplus, says Kate Lynch, chief executive of the country’s Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA).

The generic medicines industry in Australia stands ready to work with the new government in bipartisan fashion to deliver important savings with no impact to the health of Australians. If that sounds farfetched, says Ms Lynch, consider this:

In Spain last year, in a move designed to save A$3.4 billion ($3.14 billion) a year, Spain's government passed a law demanding doctors prescribe, and pharmacies dispense, generic medicines rather than the more expensive brand names sold by pharmaceutical companies.