What type of drug products can be substituted by a pharmacist?

Pharmacists are permitted to substitute drug products that are classified as equivalent drug products or interchangeable biological products. This allows pharmacists to provide patients with options that have the same therapeutic effect and are chemically similar to the prescribed medication.

The concept of substituting medications hinges on the idea of bioequivalence; products must meet specific criteria established by regulatory bodies to ensure that they can be swapped without significantly affecting the patient’s treatment outcome. When it comes to interchangeable biological products, these are proven to be safe and effective for the intended use in the same way as the original biologic product.

Substituting only over-the-counter products or limiting substitutions to brand name products would not align with the comprehensive scope of a pharmacist's role, which includes managing prescription drug therapies and promoting cost-effective care. Allowing substitutions for prescription drugs without strict criteria would also pose risks for the patient, emphasizing the importance of requiring equivalency for successful medication management. Therefore, the inclusion of both equivalent drug products and interchangeable biological products provides a broader and more practical approach to medication therapy.