Evaluating the Impact of Perceived Safety and Perceived Trust on Behavioural Intentions towards adoption of Generic Medicines

Perceived Safety, Perceived Trust, Behavioural Intention, Generic medicine, Structure Equation Model – SEM, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of perceived safety & perceived trust on behavioural intentions towards adoption of generic medicines. Generic medicines, generally offered at a lesser price than name-brand medications, generic medications share the same active components, dosage form, potency, and mode of administration. They are trustworthy substitutes for costlier branded drugs since they go through stringent testing and approval procedures to guarantee their efficacy and safety. Further generic medicines are equivalent to their branded counterpart. This study is driven by the need to comprehend the variables driving consumers' reluctance to use generic medications, even in cases where they are more affordable and have demonstrated efficacy. It is imperative to investigate the effects of perceived safety and perceived trust in order to encourage a broader use of generic alternatives in healthcare.

Methodology: The research employs a Structure Equation Model to evaluate the relationship between perceived safety and perceived trust on behavioural intention towards the adoption of generic medicine. SEM technique was used for the purpose of analysing the collected data. The Structure Equation Model approach enables the robust assessment of key factors influencing adoption or usage of generic medicines. Further, SEM is also ensuring statistical validity & reliability in measuring the impact.

Findings: This research reveals that there is a significant impact of perceived trust and perceived safety on behavioural intention towards the adoption of generic medicines

Practical Implications: The outcome of this research can give pharmaceutical companies, policy makers and retailers a roadmap to form various promotional strategies for generic medicines which will increase the usage of it. The results can address issues with affordability and patient trust in healthcare by offering useful information to legislators, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare practitioners to encourage the use of affordable generic medications.

Originality: The research is unique in showing how perceived safety & perceived trust plays a key role on behavioural intentions towards adoption of generic medicines