Myths and Facts about Generic Drugs : Fine Generics

Myths and Facts about Generic Drugs

Generic drugs may be defined as a counterpart to branded drug sharing the same quality, strength, safety, dosage etc..the only difference between the two lies in their price and looks. The generic drugs are identified by their chemical name. Once the patent on brand name drugs has expired, that manufacturers other than the original developer to apply for a bioequivalent of the brand name drug and make it available to the public.

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» Myths and Facts about Generic Drugs

Generic drugs are alike or bioequivalent to branded product in safety, strength dosage form. People can use them with total confidence. Generic drugs are also chemically identical to their branded products they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price.

Generic drugs are the term for prescription drugs that are the same as brand-name drugs. As with any new type of product, most brand-name prescription drugs are developed under a patent. This patent serves to protect a drug firm's investment in developing the drug by giving the company the sole right to sell the drug while the patent is in effect.

Thus, generic versions of that drug may be sold by competing drug companies only after the patent expires-which is about 17 years after the original drug was discovered. Because competition enters the picture when a patent expires, generic drugs usually sell for less than the brand-name product from the original manufacturer.

The fact that generics generally sell for less has led many people to believe that generics are in some way inferior to brand-name products. That's not true; generic drugs contain exactly the same active ingredients and safe and effective as branded drug. Generic drugs help keep the cost of drugs down. It encourages the research based drug companies to keep finding newer and better medicines that have patent protection.

Myths and Facts related to Generic Drugs:

Myth	Fact
There is a law that permit to ignore safety and effectiveness requirements for generic drugs while branded drugs fulfill these tests.	Generic manufacturers have to perform their own tests to verify that the active ingredients in their products are safe and effective. But branded products have been already verified all the tests that's why there is no need to test all again, but generic drugs must go through scientific testing to prove that they work same as branded product do.
Generic drugs just won't do same job as brand-name drugs.	To get approval it is necessary that generic drugs must be bioequivalent to their branded products. It means that the generics must contain the same active ingredients and strength as branded product.
Generic drugs are not as powerful as brand-name drugs.	Generic drug manufacturers have to ensure that their products are of the same quality, strength, purity, and stability as the brand-name products. Generic vs Brand Drugs
Generics take longer to act in the body.	In seeking approval for their products, generic makers must submit evidence that their drugs delivers the same amount of active ingredient in the same time frame as the Branded product and also have same quality, strength, purity, and stability as the brand-name products.
Generics products are made by less reliable manufacturers therefore these drugs are cheaper than branded drugs.	Many of the generic drugs approved and manufactured by companies that also make brand name drugs. The manufacturing process of all drugs is strictly regulated and the same standards are met by all manufacturers. Why Generic Drugs Cost Less?
Generics are not as safe as brand-name drugs.	Since generics use the same active ingredients as their brand-name counterparts and work the same way in the body, generics are as safe and effective as their brand-name equivalents.
Brand-name manufacturers test new drugs in thousands of patients, but it lets generic firms get by with tests in only 20 to 30 healthy volunteers.	Generic drugs are duplicate copy of branded product which is already tested so there is no need to test it on thousands of patients. Generic manufacturers need only prove that their drug reacts as same way in the body as the original version.
Generic manufacturers only have to prove that the active ingredients in their products get to the bloodstream. That doesn't mean that their products are used by the body in the same way.	When the same amount of the active ingredients of the generic products gets into the bloodstream at the same rate as the brand-name products, there is no scientific reason to believe that the effects of the two drugs will differ.
Most drugs are tested by healthy young volunteers, yet 25 percent of all prescription drugs are taken by the elderly who don't respond the same to drugs.	While the elderly may often absorb and process drugs differently than younger people, there is no proof that drugs will perform differently in them. Further, it isn't fair to force already weakened or disabled patients to give blood samples and face the other discomforts of bioequivalence testing. Further, such patients cannot be used in bioequivalence testing because they are virtually always taking other drugs concurrently.
Brand-name drugs are made in new facilities, while generics drugs are often made in poor facilities. That's why, generics are usually inferior.	It is the responsibility of related authorities doesn't allow drugs which are manufactured in imperfect facilities. These authorities are also responsible to check quality of product. Generic firms have state-of-the-art plants that compare favorably with those of brand-name firms.
Generic drugs have more negative side effects than brand-name drugs.	There is no proof of this.

Generic drugs are bioequivalent and therapeutically equivalent to their brand-name counterparts, People can use them with total confidence.