Cheap generics could shift drug purchase patterns

The fallout from Wal-Mart's $4 generics campaign [1] could be much more dramatic than we thought. A new study from the Wall Street Journal Online and survey firm Harris Interactive predicts that not only will Wal-Mart-style cheap generics attract customers to stores, they could potentially shift long-term U.S. prescribing and purchasing patterns. Dirt-cheap generics seem very likely to change consumers' drug purchase habits, according to the survey. Of the 2,493 adults surveyed, only 13 percent currently get their prescriptions from discount stores like Wal-Mart and Target, but that's likely to change as low-cost generics programs expand, researchers said. Half of those adults said they're likely, very likely or absolutely certain to fill those prescriptions at cut rates when they have the chance, and another 25 percent are somewhat likely to do so, the survey found. In other words, only one-quarter of consumers surveyed feel strong ties to retail drug stores like Walgreens or CVS.

To get more background on the study:
- see the Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive release [2]