Table 1 Overview of the active substances investigated, with INN, brand name (in the Netherlands), EU reference date, average yearly drug switches, average yearly number of repeat dispenses (not switching), and percentage of drug switches of consecutive dispenses per month (median, range) from June 2009 to December 2016. Active substances are tabulated in descending order by median drug switch percentage
From: Drug switching in the Netherlands: a cohort study of 20 active substances
INN | Brand name | EU reference date | Average yearly drug switches | Average yearly repeat dispenses (not switching) | % drug switches median (range per month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ethinylestradiol/ levonorgestrel | Microgynon® | April 1965 | 63,824 | 331,419 | 15.8% (7.44–48.9) |
atorvastatin | Lipitor® | November 1996 | 264,776 | 1,297,895 | 15.0% (4.71–68.1) |
salmeterol/ fluticasone | Seretide® | October 1990 | 104,663 | 689,450 | 14.4% (3.10–26.2) |
perindopril | Coversyl® | June 1988 | 161,155 | 890,803 | 14.0% (4.31–34.2) |
losartan | Cozaar® | September 1994 | 118,979 | 735,195 | 12.0% (3.94–63.6) |
simvastatin | Zocor® | April 1988 | 559,303 | 3,220,461 | 11.8% (3.24–47.4) |
paroxetine | Seroxat® | December 1990 | 112,555 | 754,569 | 11.8% (4.63–38.2) |
pantoprazole | Pantozol® | Augustus 1994 | 289,171 | 1,897,439 | 10.7% (4.06–63.2) |
irbesartan | Aprovel® | Augustus 1997 | 58,854 | 398,297 | 9.93% (0.00–60.8) |
venlafaxine | Efexor® | September 1993 | 55,719 | 416,314 | 9.61% (5.78–39.9) |
metformin | Glucophage® | March 1959 | 252,557 | 2,231,914 | 9.41% (2.82–32.3) |
omeprazole | Losec® | April 1987 | 361,669 | 2,977,064 | 9.39% (3.38–28.7) |
esomeprazole | Nexium® | March 2000 | 94,460 | 761,959 | 8.98% (4.40–48.6) |
methotrexate (immunosuppressant) | Metoject® | July 2003 | 21,310 | 171,876 | 8.70% (4.05–35.8) |
enalapril | Renitec® | January 1985 | 102,387 | 1,027,850 | 7.69% (2.82–23.1) |
metoprolol | Lopresor® | February 1975 | 359,131 | 3,479,555 | 7.41% (3.58–29.9) |
salbutamol | Ventolin® | January 1969 | 65,047 | 789,636 | 7.29% (4.24–13.7) |
methylphenidate | Ritalin® | October 1954 | 29,472 | 529,279 | 4.81% (2.59–15.7) |
rivastigmine | Exelon® | May 1998 | 4051 | 53,243 | 4.02% (0.00–20.3) |
methotrexate (antineoplastic agent) | Ledertrexate® | September 1974 | 2090 | 60,219 | 2.21% (0.00–46.4) |
levothyroxine | Thyrax Duotab® | January 1952 | 66,909 | 1,252,976 | 1.75% (0.281–26.0) |