Physicians’ opinions on generic antiretroviral drugs and single-tablet regimen de-simplification for the treatment of HIV infection: a multicentre survey in Spain
Authors: Suárez-García Inés , Ruiz-Algueró Marta , García Yubero Cristina , Moreno Cristina , Belza María José , Estébanez Miriam , de los Santos Ignacio , Masiá Mar , Samperiz Abad Gloria , Muñoz Sánchez Josefa , Omar Mohamed , Jarrín Inma ,   the Cohort of the Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS), Moreno Santiago , Jarrín Inma , Dalmau David , Navarro Maria Luisa , González Maria Isabel , Garcia Federico , Poveda Eva , Iribarren Jose Antonio , Gutiérrez Félix , Rubio Rafael , Vidal Francesc , Berenguer Juan , González Juan , Muñoz-Fernández M Ángeles , Jarrin Inmaculada , Alejos Belén , Moreno Cristina , Iniesta Carlos , Sousa Luis Miguel Garcia , Perez Nieves Sanz , Rava Marta , Muñoz-Fernández M’Ángeles , Fernández Irene Consuegra , Merino Esperanza , García Gema , Portilla Irene , Agea Iván , Portilla Joaquín , Sánchez-Pay&aacute José , Rodríguez Juan Carlos , Gimeno Lina , Giner Livia , Díez Marcos , Carreres Melissa , Reus Sergio , Boix Vicente , Torrús Diego , Lirola Ana López , García Dácil , Díaz-Flores Felicitas , Gómez Juan Luis , del Mar Alonso María , Pelazas Ricardo , Hernández Jehovana , Alemán María Remedios , Hernández María Inmaculada , Asensi Víctor , Valle Eulalia , Carmenado María Eugenia Rivas , Secades Tomás Suárez-Zarracina , Pérez Is Laura , Rubio Rafael , Pulido Federico , Bisbal Otilia , Hernando Asunción , Domínguez Lourdes , Crestelo David Rial , Bermejo Laura , Santacreu Mireia , Iribarren JoséAntonio , Arrizabalaga Julio , Aramburu María José , Camino Xabier , Rodríguez-Arrondo Francisco , von Wichmann Miguel Ángel , Tomé Lidia Pascual , Goenaga Miguel Ángel , Bustinduy Ma Jesús , Azkune Harkaitz , Ibarguren Maialen , Lizardi Aitziber , Kortajarena Xabier , Oyaga Ma PilarCarmona , Igartua Maitane Umerez , Gutiérrez Félix , Masiá Mar , Padilla Sergio , Robledano Catalina , Colomé Joan Gregori , Adsuar Araceli , Pascual Rafael , Fernández Marta , García JoséAlberto , Barber Xavier , Agullo Re Vanessa , Abellán Javier Garcia , Pérez Reyes Pascual , Roca María , Muga Roberto , Sanvisens Arantza , Fuster Daniel , Berenguer Juan , de Quirós Juan Carlos López Bernaldo , Gutiérrez Isabel , Ramírez Margarita , Padilla Belén , Gijón Paloma , Aldamiz-Echevarría Teresa , Tejerina Francisco , Parras Francisco José , Balsalobre Pascual , Diez Cristina , Latorre Leire Pérez , Fanciulli Chiara , Vidal Francesc , Peraire Joaquín , Viladés Consuelo , Veloso Sergio , Vargas Montserrat , Olona Montserrat , Rull Anna , Rodríguez-Gallego Esther , Alba Verónica , Castellanos Alfonso Javier , López-Dupla Miguel , Alonso MartaMontero , Aldeguer José López , Juliá Marino Blanes , itarch María Tasias P , Hernández Iván Castro , Muñoz Eva Calabuig , Tovar Sandra Cuéllar , Salavert Lletí Miguel , Navarro JuanFernández , González-Garcia Juan , Arnalich Francisco , Arribas José Ramón , de la Serna Jose Ignacio Bernardino , Castro Juan Miguel , Hierro Ana Delgado , Escosa Luis , Herranz Pedro , Hontañón Víctor , García-Bujalance Silvia , López-Hortelano Milagros García , González-Baeza Alicia , Martín-Carbonero Maria Luz , Mayoral Mario , Mellado Maria Jose , Micán Rafael Esteban , Montejano Rocio , Montes María Luisa , Moreno Victoria , Pérez-Valero Ignacio , Cebrián Guadalupe Rúa , Rodés Berta , Sainz Talia , Sendagorta Elena , Alcáriz Natalia Stella , Valencia Eulalia , Blanco José Ramón , Oteo JoséAntonio , Ibarra Valvanera , Metola Luis , Sanz Mercedes , Pérez-Martínez Laura , Arazo Piedad , Sampériz Gloria , Dalmau David , Jaén Angels , Sanmartí Montse , Cairó Mireia , Martinez-Lacasa Javier , Velli Pablo , Font Roser , Martinez Marina , Aiello Francesco , Marcotegui Maria Rivero , Repáraz Jesús , de Alda María Gracia Ruiz , de León Cano , María Teresa , de Galarreta Beatriz Pierola Ruiz , Amengual María José , Navarro Gemma , Garcia ManelCervantes , Isbert SoniaCalzado , Vilasaro MartaNavarro , de los Santos Ignacio , Sanz Jesús Sanz , Aparicio Ana Salas , Cepeda Cristina Sarria , Fraile , Lucio Garcia-Fraile , Gayo Enrique Martín , Moreno Santiago , Osorio José Luis Casado , Nuñez Fernando Dronda , Zamora Ana Moreno , Elías Maria Jesús Pérez , Gutiérrez Carolina , Madrid Nadia , del Campo Terrón Santos , Villar Sergio Serrano , Gallego Maria Jesús Vivancos , Sanz Javier Martínez , Urroz Usua Anxa , Velasco Tamara , Bernal Enrique , Sanchez Alfredo Cano , García Antonia Alcaraz , Urbieta Joaquín Bravo , Perez Ángeles Muñoz , Alcaraz Maria Jose , del CarmenVillalba Maria , García Federico , Quero JoséHernández , Medina Leopoldo Muñoz , Alvarez Marta , Chueca Natalia , García David Vinuesa , Martinez-Montes Clara , Beltrán Carlos Guerrero , de Salazar Gonzalez Adolfo , Lopez AnaFuentes , Del Romero Jorge , Utrilla Montserrat Raposo , Rodríguez Carmen , Puerta Teresa , Carlos Carri&oacute Juan , Vera Mar , Ballesteros Juan , Ayerdi Oskar , Antela Antonio , Losada Elena , Riera Melchor , Peñaranda María , Ribas Ma Angels , Campins Antoni A , Vidal Carmen , Fanjul Francisco , Murillas Javier , Homar Francisco , Vilchez Helem H , Martin Maria Luisa , Payeras Antoni , Santos Jesús , Ayerbe Cristina Gómez , Viciana Isabel , Palacios Rosario , López CarmenPérez , Gonzalez-Domenec Carmen Maria , Viciana Pompeyo , Espinosa Nuria , López-Cortés Luis Fernando , Podzamczer Daniel , Imaz Arkaitz , Tiraboschi Juan , Silva Ana , Saumoy María , Prieto Paula , Ribera Esteban , Curran Adrian , Sierra Julián Olalla , Stachowski JavierPérez , del Arco Alfonso , de la torre Javier , Prada JoséLuis , de Lomas Guerrero José María García , Martínez OnofreJuan , Vera Francisco Jesús , Martínez Lorena , García Josefina , Alcaraz Begoña , Jimeno Amaya , Iglesias Ángeles Castro , Souto Berta Pernas , de Cea ÁlvaroMena , Muñoz Josefa , Zubero MirenZuriñe , Baraia-Etxaburu Josu Mirena , Ugarte Sofía Ibarra , Beneitez Oscar LuisFerrero , de Munain Josefina López , López Ma Mar Cámara , de la Peña Mireia , Lopez Miriam , Azkarreta Iñigo Lopez , Galera Carlos , Albendin Helena , Pérez Aurora , Iborra Asunción , Moreno Antonio , Merlos MariaAngustias , Vidal Asunción , Meca Marisa , Amador Concha , Pasquau Francisco , Ena Javier , Benito Concha , Fenoll Vicenta , Anguita Concepción Gil , Rabasa José Tomás Algado , Suárez-García Inés , Malmierca Eduardo , González-Ruano Patricia , Rodrigo Dolores Martín , Seco , Ma Pilar Ruiz , Mohamed-Balghata Mohamed Omar , Vidal María Amparo Gómez , de Zarraga Miguel Alberto , Pérez Vicente Estrada , Molina Maria Jesús Téllez , García Jorge Vergas , Moreno Juncal Pérez-Somarriba , Górgolas Miguel , Cabello Alfonso , Álvarez Beatriz , Prieto Laura , Moreno José Sanz , Caso Alberto Arranz , Gutiérrez Cristina Hernández , Mena María Novella , Jos&eacute María , Puerto Galindo , Vilalta Ramón Fernando , Ribera Ana Ferrer , Román Antonio Rivero , Juárez Antonio Rivero , López Pedro López , Sánchez IsabelMachuca , Casas Mario Frias , Espejo Angela Camacho , Jiménez Miguel Cervero , Perea Rafael Torres , Pineda Juan A , Mayo PilarRincón , Sanchez Juan Macías , Gutierrez Nicolás Merchante , Real Luis Miguel , Gomez Anais Corma , Fuertes , Marta Fernández , Gonzalez-Serna Alejandro , Poveda Eva , Pérez Alexandre , Crespo Manuel , Morano Luis , Miralles Celia , Ocampo Antonio , Pousada Guillermo 
Published: October 2019

Objectives

To assess the attitudes and opinions about generic antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and single-tablet regimen (STR) de-simplification among physicians prescribing HIV treatment in the cohort of the Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS).

Methods

An online questionnaire with 27 structured questions was sent to all physicians (n = 199) who prescribed ARVs among the 45 centres participating in the cohort.

Results

A total of 169 (84.9%) physicians answered the questionnaire. Only 4.1% of the physicians would never prescribe generic ARVs, but 53.3% would not prescribe them if the number of pills per day increased and 89.3% would not prescribe them if the number of doses per day increased. However, 84.0% of the physicians agreed to prescribe generic ARVs if doing so would decrease costs for the public healthcare system. The percentages of physicians stating that generic ARVs (compared with branded ones) would be associated with worse adherence, more adverse effects or more probability of virological failure, provided that the number of pills and doses per day would not change, were low: 0.6%, 7.7% and 3.6%, respectively. However, these percentages were much higher if the generic ARV entailed breaking an STR: 63.9%, 18.9% and 42.0%, respectively. Most physicians stated that they needed more information about the effectiveness and safety of generic ARVs and the price difference compared with their branded equivalents.

Conclusions

Although most physicians were confident about prescribing generic ARVs, the majority had strong concerns about de-simplifying STR, and they also needed more information about generic drugs.