International experiences of promoting generics use and its implications to China.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize international experiences in promoting use of generics and to extract essence for China's reference.

METHOD: This is a commentary of two systematic reviews about policies to promote use of generics and its implications to China.

RESULT: Price, reimbursement, and generic substitution policies in European countries, and approaches in low and middle income countries in promoting market competition, appropriate intellectual property right protection strategy, and necessary demand side incentives, are all meaningful for China to contain soaring pharmaceutical expenditures, and to maintain the achievements and outcomes of the national health system reform.

CONCLUSION: Effective promotion of generics use must be practice based on the real situation. Tailor-made and comprehensive measures are needed to address both demand and supply sides barriers before achieving tangible cost containment effect without unexpected side effects.