Prescription Drugs
Prescription Drug Costs and the Role of Generic Drugs: Public Opinion Among Americans Aged 45 and Over
Research Report
Christine Bechtel, AARP Knowledge Management
William E. Wright, AARP Knowledge Management
Jeffrey Love, Ph.D., AARP Knowledge Management
October 2002
On July 31, 2002, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to speed the approval process for allowing safe and effective generic drugs to compete in the marketplace. While the Senate bill passed by a wide bipartisan margin of 78-21, the House had yet to act on a companion bill as of October 1. This nationally representative telephone survey of 1,046 Americans age 45 and over explores public opinion surrounding this legislation, prescription drug prices, and the continuing importance of a Medicare drug benefit bill.
Key Findings
Americans Age 45 and Over:
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Believe that greater availability of generic drugs helps combat rising drug prices. More than 8 in 10 (84%) Americans age 45 and over strongly believe that making generic drugs more available is an important part of the solution to rapidly increasing drug prices, including 62% who feel very strongly about this point. Moreover, 9 in 10 say they are willing to take generic drugs in order to reduce their drug costs.
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Are concerned about the impact of rising drug prices on their health care coverage. More than 9 in 10 (92%) Americans age 45+ are concerned about the impact of rising drug prices on the ability of insurance plans and employers to provide affordable health care coverage, including prescription drugs. Seven in 10 say they are very concerned.
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Support legislation to make generic drugs more available. Two-thirds of Americans age 45+ support legislation to close loopholes used by some pharmaceutical companies to prevent generic drugs from being made available to consumers. Nearly half (47%) strongly support such legislation.
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Want action now on this issue. There is a strong sense of urgency that Congress pass this kind of legislation this year. Eight in 10 Americans age 45 and over favor passage of this kind of legislation this year, including a majority (53%) who strongly favor passage this year.
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Consider greater availability of generic drugs as even more important if no Medicare prescription drug benefit is enacted into law this year. Two thirds of Americans age 45 and older say failure to enact a Medicare prescription drug benefit this year makes passing legislation to increase the availability of lower cost generic drugs more important.