OBJECTIVES: There are two important success criteria of generic drug policies in chronic diseases after patent expiry: price erosion and persistence. Our objective was to assess the implementation of generic drug policies on these criteria between 2007-2011 in Hungary by comparing the continuation of angiotensin receptor blockers after patent expiry of original therapies. METHODS: In Hungary the first generic losartan was launched in 2007; losartan HCT in 2009; valsartan/valsartan HCT in 2011. From the National Health Insurance Fund database, we selected prescription records of hypertensive patients with at least 10 prescriptions of original losartan (Group 1; n=2637), losartan HCT (Group 2; n=7598) and valsartan/valsartan HCT (Group 3; n=38098) in the last 12 months prior to patent expiry. We compared antihypertensive therapies in 12 months after the reimbursement of first generic drug in each group. Antihypertensives were categorized into preferred (continued antihypertensive therapy with same active ingredient generic drugs), and non-preferred (continuation on original drug therapy; switching to other patented drug(s) without risk for generic substitution; switching to generic drugs with other active ingredient(s); discontinuation of reimbursed antihypertensive drug therapies) policy outcomes. RESULTS: After patent expiry 76.2% and 68.9% of Group 1&2 patients continued the original losartan or losartan HCT therapy for 12 months, and only 3.9% and 8.5% were switched to generic losartan/losartan HCT. In Group 3, 33.6% of patients were switched to generic valsartan/valsartan HCT, 42.8% received other generic drugs or drug combinations, whilst 14.5% were switched to other patented products. CONCLUSIONS: Despite significant changes in the generic drug policies in Hungary in 2007, 2009 and 2011 not more than one-third of hypertensive patients changed to generic drugs during 12 months after first generic entry. These findings indicate suboptimal generic drug policy in a chronic disease with significant public health implications.