The use of prescription medicine has increased over the years. Likewise, the use of generic drugs has increased versus their brand name counterparts. In fact, about 8 in 10 prescriptions filled in the US are for generic drugs. Many people question the safety of generic drugs, but the FDA has concluded that generics provide the same quality and performance as
brand-name drugs:
- Generics must have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand-name drug
- Generic manufacturers have to prove that the drug is the bioequivalent as the brand-name drug
- Generic manufacturers must pass the same quality standards as the brand-name drug manufacturer.
Many people don’t know that a lot of the generic drugs are made in the same manufacturing plant as the brand-name drug! Millions of dollars are saved annually when patients switch from brand name to generic drugs
Generic vs. Brand Name Drugs. The
FDA estimates that generics saved patients $158 billion dollars in just one year. Paying significantly lower prices for a generic doesn’t mean you are sacrificing quality or effectiveness of the drug. When a brand-name drug becomes generic, they do not need to repeat the costly clinical trials. They also usually do not pay for expensive advertising, marketing, and direct promotion to physician offices and hospitals. Finally, there is usually more than one manufacturer that is producing the generic drug which means the competition further decreases the drug price. Discuss the use of generic drugs versus brand-name drugs with your physician to see if generics are a cost-saving option for you.
