Drug Switching Notices

Patients may switch from their current medication to a generic or therapeutically equivalent drug. Verbal and/or written  “drug switching notices”, using patient-specific data, may be appropriate when such communications:

• Adhere to the American Academy of Family Physician’s (AAFP) policies on “Drugs, Prescribing,” “Patient-Centered Formularies,” “Drugs, Generic” and other relevant AAFP policies.
• are patient-centric, e.g., address patient safety and patient compliance, suggest appropriate generic or therapeutic alternative, etc.
• are drawn from evidence-based disease management guidelines;
• are HIPAA-compliant;
• are directed to specific individuals only;
• clearly indicate what organization is funding such a communication;
• are transparent regarding the financial impact to the patient and the pharmacy plan and/or health plan; and
• emphasize patients should consult their personal physician about any potential change(s) in their prescribed medication(s) which may be done best in a face-to-face visit.

(2003) (September 2024 COD)