• Jing Sun.
• National Institute of Hospital Administration, MoH, BRICS Medicines Alliance; International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) China Core Group, Pharmaceutical Policy Research Theme Group, Beijing, P.R. China. sunjingx@yahoo.com
• J Evid Based Med. 2013 May 1; 6 (2): 74-80.

ObjectiveTo summarize international experiences in promoting use of generics and to extract essence for China's reference.MethodThis is a commentary of two systematic reviews about policies to promote use of generics and its implications to China.ResultPrice, 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.ConclusionEffective 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.© 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

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