| Generic medications are copies of brand name drugs that have exactly the same dosage, intended use, effects, adverse side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and efficacy as the branded medication.
A great many people have doubts about the efficacy of generic medications, because the latter are often considerably cheaper than brand name versions. They would like to know if the quality and potency have been lowered to produce cheaper medications. The FDA requires that generic drugs should be as safe and effective as branded medications.
In fact, generic medications are cheaper, because the manufacturers have not had the expenditure of developing and promoting a new drug to the pharmaceutical market. When a producer introduces a new drug to the market, the business has already spent a considerable amount of money on research, manufacturing, marketing and promotion of the drug. The producer that manufactures the medication is granted a patent - an exclusive right to sell the medication as long as the patent is valid. As the expiration date of the patent nears, producers can apply to the FDA for permission to manufacture and sell generic versions of the medication. Without the startup costs for manufacturing of the drug, firms can afford to manufacture and sell it at a low price. When several companies begin manufacturing and selling a medication, the competition among them can also result in a lower price.
The FDA applies the same standards for all medication manufacturing facilities many companies make both brand name and generics. In fact, 50% of generic drug manufacture is made by brand name manufacturers.
Generic medications may sometimes be molded differently than branded names, such as a generic pill versus a brand name capsule. However, they have the same active ingredients and are manufactured under the same standards as brand name drugs. Generic medications differ from brand name drugs, because trademark laws do not allow generics to look exactly like branded medications. Colors, flavors and other inactive and inert ingredients, such as fillers, may be different.
These variations are also seen between branded drugs sold in different countries. A product can be a capsule in the USA, but a pill in Canada, for example, even though it is produced by the same branded company. |
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