A Study of Consumer Choice Between Generic and Branded Drugs Under Current Regulations in Bhimavaram

Research Article

Abstract

This research work is aimed to study about the consumer preferences between generic and branded medicines in Bhimavaram Town, evaluating the factors influencing purchasing decisions. Through stratified random sampling, 252 respondents participated in a structured survey exploring awareness, affordability, safety perceptions, and regulatory understanding. Results revealed that 66.4% of participants preferred branded medications, primarily citing safety (40.7%) and effectiveness (32.8%) concerns. Though 62.1% of respondents had previously switched from branded to generic medications, 70.4% perceived quality differences between them. The educational background of consumers significantly impacted medicine choices, with most information about medications (71.5%) coming from doctors or pharmacists. Regarding regulatory awareness, 63.6% of participants were knowledgeable about generic drug regulations, while 62.1% understood branded medicine regulations. Hypothesis testing confirmed consumers' awareness of regulations governing both medicine types and validated that many had switched from branded to generic equivalents. This study shows the need for enhanced consumer education about generic medication quality and efficacy