Nairobi, April 29 -- Patients in Kenya continue to pay higher prices for original or non-generic medicines years after patents expire, driven by entrenched prescribing habits, weak regulation, supply gaps, and market incentives that favour costlier products.

A spot check across Nairobi pharmacies shows significant price differences between branded and generic medicines.

For example, a course of the widely used antibiotic Augmentin, originally produced by GlaxoSmithKline, retails at around Sh1,400 to Sh3,000 depending on the dosage unit, while its generic equivalent, amoxicillin-clavulanate, can cost as little as Sh180 despite containing the same active ingredients.

The patent on Augmentin expired more than 20 years ago.

Price gaps

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