Magnitude and associated factors of prescribing drugs by their brand names among prescribers working at selected hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This article focuses on assessing the magnitude and factors associated with prescribing drugs by their brand names among prescribers in selected hospitals of Addis Ababa (AA), Ethiopia. The study, conducted from May to July 2022 with 485 prescribers, found that 54.0% prescribed medications by brand names despite generic drugs being less costly and having equivalent safety and effectiveness. Independent predictors of brand prescribing included lack of training on good prescribing practices, low trust in the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration Authority (EFDA), poor knowledge about generic drugs, negative attitudes toward generics, and not perceiving the rising cost of drugs as a serious health sector issue. The findings suggest that enhancing prescriber education on generic drugs and building confidence in regulatory oversight could reduce brand-name prescribing and improve cost-effective drug use in AA.