2020 年 46 巻 9 号 p. 531-539
Despite the bioequivalence of brand-name and generic drugs, some patients have complained about diminished efficacy after consumption. We administered brand and generic name constructs for loxoprofen sodium hydrate to patients in a variety of forms, including tablets and powder. We used the visual analog scale (VAS) to investigate and examine whether efficacy differences were attributed to the drug action or to a placebo effect. The responses of the 5 patients that entered this study showed different results when the brand-name and generic drugs were taken in a state where they could be distinguished from each other, and the VAS change when they were indistinguishable. In particular, three patients yielded large VAS differences when they consumed the brand-name and generic drugs in the form of tablets, but the VAS change was smaller when the drug was pulverized and consumed in powder form. This study suggests that there is no difference in the actual efficacy between the brand-name and the generic drug forms, and that any noted differences are likely attributed to a placebo effect. The placebo effect has positive or negative effects owing to various factors. As healthcare professionals, we must strive to maximize the therapeutic effects.
