Generic medicines messages targeting Chinese and Italian communities

The third phase of the National Prescribing Service's (NPS) medicines awareness campaign, targeting seniors in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, begins on 1 February 2009.

The Generic Medicines Are An Equal Choice campaign will feature community service announcements and interviews with health professionals. These will be broadcast in Cantonese, Mandarin and Italian on SBS Radio and other community-language radio stations across Australia.

Printed in-language resources have also been developed in partnership with the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) and these be available in mid March.

NPS and FECCA have undertaken research that highlights the need for more accessible information around generic medicines for Italian and Chinese seniors.

FECCA Director, Peter van Vliet, describes the campaign as an important means of enhancing awareness and dispelling misconceptions about generic medicines and ensuring diverse Australians have the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health.

"Receiving accurate and reliable information about medicines is essential to achieving positive health outcomes," Mr van Vliet said. "Yet for culturally and linguistically diverse seniors, such information may be difficult to access due to language barriers, low levels of cultural competency of health systems, or the experience of navigating unfamiliar medicines systems." 

The key message during the first phase of the campaign will be that generic medicines contain the same active ingredient as the original brand medicines, although they may look different or come in different packaging. The campaign will reiterate that generic medicines meet the same Australian government standards as other medicines.

The campaign will also encourage seniors from CALD backgrounds to speak to their doctor or pharmacist to discuss whether there may be a generic medicine suitable for them.

"We know that seniors from communities who speak languages other than English are particularly inclined to listen and consider medicines information from their doctors and pharmacists," NPS Deputy CEO, Karen Kaye said. "The role health professionals play in explaining and reinforcing messages about understanding medicine and using medicines safely is extremely important."

Ms Kaye also adds that health professionals should be aware that there may be difficulties with the direct translation of the word "generic" for some languages. She highlights that the direct Italian translation for "generic medicine" could be understood as being any medicine that is not a "Prescription Only" medicine.

"Language barriers should not prevent people from understanding and having access to information about  medicines," Ms Kaye said.

Pharmacies needing translation services can call the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's free Translation and Interpreting Service on 131 450.