First stop in Chiavari (Genoa) on 8 September

The second edition of "Io equivalgo" is in the starter phase, the information campaign on generic medicines promoted by Cittadinanzattiva-Tribunale per i right of the patient, with the patronage of the Italian Medicines Agency and with the unconditional support of Assogenerici, which will 10 Italian cities.

The first appointment is scheduled for 8 September in Chiavari (Genoa). The campaign will continue with the stages scheduled in Aosta (11/9), Pisa (14/9), Bolzano (16/9), Varese (23/9), Bologna (26/9), Latina (1 October), Policoro (MT – (8/10)) and Cagliari (14/10), to conclude in Lamezia on 21 October.

The initiative, which started in 2016, reached 12 cities during the first edition, with the direct involvement of 15,000 citizens during the various stages. On the other hand, 90 thousand users visited the dedicated website www.ioequivalgo.it; 4600 likes to Facebook page; 165 thousand views of video commercials on Youtube and Facebook; 5670 downloads of the dedicated App which provides information on the price of the equivalent corresponding to the branded drug.

This year the campaign is renewed with an extension to foreign communities, thanks to the translation of information materials into seven languages (in addition to Italian, English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Bengali, Tigrinya, Chinese).

These are the objectives of #IoEquivalgo:

· promote awareness of "generic" medicines;

· inform citizens and provide them with an opportunity to make conscious and informed choices, to the advantage of the economic sustainability of families;

· further promote transparency on pricing policies;

· point out how recourse to the equivalent represents a fundamental tool for reducing Italian pharmaceutical expenditure and therefore for the sustainability of the NHS;

· reduce waste from therapeutic non-adherence, due to the interruption of treatment due to economic difficulties, thus guaranteeing a higher level of health of the population.

The campaign is supported by:

AIFA, AMSI (Association of Doctors of Foreign Origin in Italy), ANP CIA (National Association of Pensioners of the Italian Confederation of Farmers), AUSER, COMAI (the Community of the Arab World in Italy), FEDERFARMA, FIMMG, FOFI, INMP (National Institute of Health, migration and poverty), IPASVI, SIFO, SIGG (Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics), SIMG, SPI – CGIL, UMEM (Euro-Mediterranean Medical Union).

Assogenerics – 09/04/2017

SSN. Saving at any cost. Even at the expense of patient health. Economic incentives for doctors to prescribe generics

Pharma India, the long road to regaining FDA trust. India is the largest generic producer

EMA recommends drug suspension due to unreliable studies from Micro Therapeutic Research Labs

EU. Sandoz Spain sanctioned by the EU: in advertising it cannot attribute the qualities of branded medicines to generics