What Are Generic Medicines and Can They Be The Best Choice For Your Family?

If you’ve ever been prescribed a medication, the pharmacist has probably asked you if the generic version of the drug is acceptable to you. Doctor’s prescription pads now commonly have an area where the doctor can indicate whether it’s acceptable for a generic drug to be substituted. Even so, you may not fully understand what a generic drug is, or feel comfortable with accepting a generic drug.

The brand-name drug (also known as the innovator drug) and the generic version of this drug are an exact copy. To qualify to be a generic drug, it must have two things, Its chemical composition must be an exact match of the innovator drug. And it must be officially approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).. For FDA approval the generic and innovator drugs must have the same active ingredient. Beyond the actve ingredient match, the generic must also have the exact same strength, dosage formulation, route of administration (ie tablet or liquid) and be intended for the same purpose. The generic drug must meet the same requirements for strength, purity and quality, and it must be a bioequivalent to the innovator drug. The term bioequivalency is a fancy way of saying that the generic version of the drug must have the same affects on patients as the brand name drug. FDA requirements ensure that generic drugs will work just as fast and be just as effective as brand-name drugs.

You might be wondering why generic drugs are less expensive than brand-name drugs, especially since generic drugs are just as good as brand-name medications. The one difference is that the generic drug manufacturer did not have to spend all the time and money in research, developing and marketing a new drug. The company who develops the innovator drug is the only company that will go through the very complex clinical trial manufacturing process, including pharmaceutical formulation development. Additionally, once a generic is approved by the FDA, competition is added to the market place which always brings prices down.

You may notice that generic drug may have a different appearance from brand name drugs, but that is no cause for worry. Because the brand name drugs are trademarked, generic drugs cannot be made to look exactly the same. But regardless of the appearance, the contents and effectiveness are guaranteed to be the same.