| Switching to generic medications is undoubtedly spares money. Many people wonder if there is any difference between brand name medications and their generic versions. Below is a detailed comparison of the two.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA), to receive FDA approval, a generic drug must: contain identical active ingredients as the original drug (inactive ingredients may differ), be identical in strength, dose form and route of administration; have the same use indications, be bioequivalent; meet the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity and quality; be manufactured under the same rigid standards of FDA's good manufacturing practice regulations mandatory for branded products. To put it differently, their pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their branded counterparts.
A lot of people express doubts about the potency of generic drugs, as the latter are frequently much cheaper than brand name versions. They wonder if the quality and effectiveness have been lowered to produce cheaper products. The FDA requires that generic drugs should be as safe and potent as branded drugs.
Actually, the lower price of generic drugs is explained by the fact that the manufacturers do not need to spend money on manufacturing and marketing of a new drug. When a producer introduces a new drug to the pharmaceutical market, the business has already spent a substantial amount of money on scientific research, manufacturing, marketing and forwarding of the medication. The producer that develops the medication is given a patent - an exclusive right to sell the medication as long as the patent is valid. By the end of the expiration date of the patent, manufacturers can ask the FDA for a permit to make and sell generic versions of the drug. Without the startup costs for research and development of the medication, firms can afford to produce and sell it cheaper. Because of the competition on the market the price can also reduce.
Since the standards for all drug producing facilities are the same, a lot of companies make both brand name and generics. In fact, the FDA estimates that 50% of generic medication production is by brand name manufacturers.
Generic medications may sometimes be shaped differently than brand name names, such as a generic tablet versus a brand name bolus. However, they have the same active ingredients and are produced under the same standards as branded drugs. According to the U.S. Trademark law, generic drugs are not allowed to look exactly like branded drugs. Colors, flavors and combinations of inactive ingredients may be different.
These variations are also seen between branded medications sold in different countries. A product can be a capsule in the USA, but a tablet in Canada, for instance, even though it is produced by the same branded company. |
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