Healthcare Blogs By Ashadidi

Generic medicines: A relief to medical expenses

generic drug

In recent months, our Prime Minister announced to make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe only generic names and not brand names of drugs as an attempt to bring expensive drugs to poor Indians.

Generic medicines typically cost 30% to 60% less than their brand-name counterparts. They are the copies of brand-name drugs that have exactly the same chemical composition, method, and technique of making, usage, effects, risks and safety as the original drug. In other words, their pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their brand-name counterparts. An example is Paracetamol and Amoxycillin.

Now the question arises, are the generic medicines as safe as brand name drugs? Before answering this, it is important to know what exactly these drugs are, and some similarities and differences between them.

Brand name drugs also known as innovator drugs, initially marketed as new chemical entities, whose first versions are sold by innovator manufacturer. When any company makes its new drug, they have patents for some duration. It protects the company and doesn't allow anyone else to make and sell them. Generic products become available after the patent protection afforded to a drug's original developer expire. Once they enter the market, competition leads to lower prices for both the original brand-name product and its generic equivalents. But, first, they must test the drug and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) must approve it. Generic medicines are produced under the license of the manufacturer of the original brand-name product, with the lower-cost equivalent often introduced after the drug’s patent has expired. So yes, generic medicines as effective and safe as brand name drugs.

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