Compounding Ask The Pharmacist: Generic Medication What are generic drugs? A generic drug is a chemically equivalent, lower-cost version of a brand-name drug. The generic version becomes available when the brand-name drug's patent protection expires, and it usually costs about half the price of the brand-name version. All drugs have a generic name. When a pharmaceutical company first develops a new drug, it gives the drug a generic name (or 'chemical name'). The company then gives the drug a brand-name as part of its marketing plan. If generic drugs are just as good as brand-name drugs, why do generics cost less? It's less expensive to make and sell generic drugs, so these savings are reflected in a lower price. Unlike the manufacturers of brand-name drugs, the makers of generics don't have to spend money on research and development, marketing, and advertising. Advertising in particular has become a huge cost of doing business, and this cost is passed along to the consumer in the form of higher priced brand-name drugs. As for quality, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes sure that generic drugs are equivalent to brand-name drugs. By equivalent, the FDA means that generics must contain the same active ingredients and work the same way in the body. Why aren't all prescription drugs available in a generic version? When a company develops a new drug and submits it for FDA approval, a 17-year patent is issued. A generic version cannot be manufactured until the 17-year patent expires. In some cases, a drug is on the market for only a few years before the generic is available. This is usually because the original testing period required by the FDA took many years - so by the time the drug was approved, there were only a few years left on the patent. Are generic drugs tested as thoroughly as the brand-name versions? Yes and no. Generic drugs are tested thoroughly to make sure their performance and ingredients meet the FDA's equivalency standards. In addition, FDA scientists sometimes visit the laboratories of the company that has applied to manufacture a generic drug. The scientists check the purity of the ingredients and the quality of the processing. The generic version must also be labeled with the same information as the original drug, including warnings and side effect information. The generic drug does not have to complete the clinical trial process applied to the original drug. To be considered a generic version, the drug must behave chemically identical to the brand-name version, which was already subjected to years of testing. Why do some generic drugs look different from their brand-name versions? All drugs - brand-name and generic - have inactive ingredients such as dyes, fillers, and preservatives. These ingredients often determine the size, shape, and color of the drug. Generic drugs may have different shapes, colors, or packaging than their brand-name versions, but they are equally effective. What's the bottom line on generics? You can use generics with confidence. Although they sometimes look different from their brand-name versions, equivalent generics are just as safe and effective. If you have specific questions or concenrs, contact your doctor or one of our pharmacists at Pharmacy Pharmacy. Prev     Next Home About Us Pharmacy Contact Us Last Updated: May 5, 2007 © 2007 Curtis Pharmacy.  All rights reserved.