Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28929048›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of pharmaceutical investigation

Brand versus generic dispensing trend for ciprofloxacin 500 mg, levofloxacin 500 mg, and moxifloxacin 400 mg (oral dosage forms) among pharmacies of Karachi, Pakistan.

Fatima Zehra, Atta Abbas Naqvi, Sumbul Tasneem, Rizwan Ahmad, Niyaz Ahmad, Adnan Zia Shamsi, Naqiya Ali Asghar, Ghufran Ullah Khan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of pharmaceutical investigation. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Fatima ZehraApplied Economics Research Center, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
Atta Abbas NaqviDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (University of Dammam), Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.
Sumbul TasneemFaculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Madinat-ul-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi 74600, Pakistan.
Rizwan AhmadDepartment of Natural Products and Alternative Medicines, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (University of Dammam), Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.
Niyaz AhmadDepartment of Pharmaceutics, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (University of Dammam), Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.
Adnan Zia ShamsiFaculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Madinat-ul-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi 74600, Pakistan.
Naqiya Ali AsgharFaculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Madinat-ul-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi 74600, Pakistan.
Ghufran Ullah KhanFaculty of Pharmacy, Hamdard University, Madinat-ul-Hikmah, Muhammad Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi 74600, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPakistan spends 0.7% of its gross domestic product on health. The public sector health-care system provides services to 22% of population thus paving the way for a dominant private sector. Patients in Pakistan mostly pay their medical expenses directly, and 64% of the health expenditures are borne by the household. Expenditure on medicine constitutes 43% of the total household expenditure.

methodsA quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan, for a month. It was aimed at gathering response from different pharmacies to understand the brand versus generic dispensing trend of ciprofloxacin 500 mg, levofloxacin 500 mg, and moxifloxacin 400 mg oral dosage forms. The study employed convenience sampling and used a survey checklist. The data gathered was entered in SPSS version 22.

resultsThe mean price per tablet for ciprofloxacin brand and generic was reported at Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 48.44 and PKR 26.85, respectively. The trend for dispensing ciprofloxacin highlighted a split in the market between brand (51%) and generic (49%). For levofloxacin brand and generic, the price per tablet was reported at PKR 36.50 and PKR 36.15 respectively, and despite same price, the market was dominated by generic levofloxacin (92%). Due to a price difference between brand and generic moxifloxacin, i.e., PKR 129.44 and PKR 71.91, respectively, the market was mostly occupied by the generic form (75%).

conclusionPricing mechanism must be revisited, and the authorities should take stern actions against any illegitimate price hike. The surging burden of drug expenditure on poorer sections of the society must be addressed by the government on an urgent basis.

Indexed as

Antibioticsbrand-generic substitutionciprofloxacinfluoroquinolonegeneric druglevofloxacinmoxifloxacinPakistan

Identifiers

PMID28929048
PMCPMC5553266

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.