Comparing generic and parallel import prices over the last 10 years shows the extent to which generics undercut brands at the end of their patent-protected periods. In this case generic Donepezil was launched in Feb 2012 at considerable discounts on the brand. However it is also interesting to see what then happened to the brand as parallel imports cut into the UK brand’s market share and prices tumbled.
We chose to look at this particular product as, of the 2000 PIs we looked at, it had the most erratic prices in recent months. It appears that some importers are able to get low prices, whereas others are having difficulty sourcing low priced stock.
Interestingly, although it isn’t obvious from the graph, generic prices have also risen from about £0.70 in mid 2019 to £1.45 in April 2020.
All the data in this article and charts came from https://www.wavedata.net and https://www.bppi.co.uk