Do you look at the brand name of medicine? Nearly half of Americans take some form of prescription medicine: is it important that you pay attention to who makes your medication?
Some say that buying generic medications jeopardizes their quality but is this the case? In this guide, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common statements people make about generic drugs and see whether they’re based in truth or myth.
Ready to learn more? Then read on!
Do Generic Drugs Work Differently From Brand-Name Drugs?
A generic drug works in exactly the same way as their brand-name equivalents. They will have the same active ingredients, the same dosages, and the same effects. The only real difference between generic drugs and brand-name equivalents is that they may have different binders and other inactive ingredients.
If you take brand-name acetaminophen like Tylenol, it will not work any better or worse than the generic acetaminophen that you can buy from many supermarkets or pharmacies.
What Makes a Medicine Generic?
When a medicine is first developed, the pharmaceutical company that made it will usually file a patent. This means that only they can make the drug for the first 10-20 years after it’s hit the market.
Once this patent expires, other manufacturers can make the drug, which means that there is more competition and prices fall.
Most recently, for instance, Viagra, developed by Pfizer, is now out of patent. This means that you can now buy generic viagra at a much lower price than it used to cost.
The Only Real Difference Between Generic and Brand-Name Medications
Two tablets can’t look the same, even if they contain the same drug. The only real difference between generic and brand-name medications, aside from the binders, is that they’ll look different. Buy the same drug from several different manufacturers, and they’ll all look different, but they will do the same thing.
Are Generic Medicines Safe?
If you’re worried about the safety of generic drugs, you can relax. All drugs that are sold in the USA need to be certified by the FDA and other countries have similar agencies performing the same duties.
If a drug is sold, you can guarantee that it is thought to be safe to use. Generic drugs have to meet the same standards of safety as their brand-name equivalents.
The Main Advantage of Generic Drugs: Price
If you take a very common medication such as sildenafil (Viagra), sertraline (Zoloft), or fluoxetine (Prozac), buying generic drugs can save you a lot of money. Why are generic drugs cheaper? The level of competition inherent with generic drugs means that they need to be sold cheaply, and there are no development or marketing expenses to be paid.
Buying drugs cheaply from a service like 90DayMeds could save you a lot of money over the course of your treatment.
The Brand Name of Medicine Doesn’t Matter
In short, the brand name of medicine does not affect how it works. If price matters a lot to you, buying generic medication is your best bet.
For more interesting and informative articles like this, check out the rest of our blog!