[e-drug] Medical doctors & belief in brand names (7)

["Wong Wai See" <ycwong@brunet.bn>]

E-DRUG: Medical doctors & belief in brand names (7)
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Dear E-Drug
 
I have heard varied tales of prescribers insisting on brand names over
generics.  
I am wondering that part of the contributory factor is due to a lack of
knowledge of pharmacokinetics.  
My personal experience was when at our hospital we changed brand of 2
parenteral injections - BuscopanR and LasixR - to generics.
On both occasions, prescribers have approached the pharmacy and said
that the generics were not good.
One prescriber went so far as tried to demonstrate to me the
"ineffectiveness" of BuscopanR when it was given intravenously to his
patient. [I think you mean the generic? Moderator] 
The prescriber felt that the generic hyoscine took longer to work when
compared to BuscopanR.
With LasixR, a prescriber said that they had to "give more" to the
patient in order to get similar effect when compared to LasixR.
Pharmacokinetically, there is 100% bioavailability when a drug is given
intravenously; and efficacy shouldn't "differ" per say.  
 
Question - do medical school teach principles of pharmacokinetics?
 
 
Wong Wai See
Senior Pharmacist
Dept. of Pharmaceutical Services 
Ministry of Health
Brunei Darussalam
ycwong@brunet.bn