Using individual level-data, the paper uncovers patient and drug characteristics that determine the probability of using the original patented products despite the presence of generic substitutes in the Czech Republic in the period 2009-2013. Our results reveal different behavioral patterns for...

I evaluate how the probability of substitution of a prescribed drug in a pharmacy depends on the pharmacists' profits and patients' out of pocket costs. I use Finnish population-wide data covering all prescriptions of three popular antidepressants. I find that one euro increase in the total...

Markets require informed participants to function efficiently. This paper examines the impact of providing targeted information directly to patients on their purchasing-decisions regarding pharmaceutical drugs. We analyze the effect of informational letters sent by a Swiss health insurer to...