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Generic Drugs: A Hot News Topic
What is a generic medication?
Simply put, generic drugs are a copy of a brand name drug. They contain the
same active chemical ingredient as the brand name equivalent. This chemical
ingredient is what makes a drug have its effect.
Why do generics cost less than brand name drugs?
The main difference between brand name medications and generics is price.
Generic companies do not spend the same amount of money on researching drugs
as they produce previously invented products. They also spend less on
marketing and advertising of their products. Also, once a patent has
expired, multiple generic companies usually compete for market share. This
drives the price down compared to when the brand name product had patent
exclusivity.
How do generic medications compare in quality to brand name drugs?
Generic drugs are reviewed and approved by their national drug safety
commission. In the United States, this body is the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Every country has a government body with similar
responsibilities to the FDA.
United States = Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Canada = Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD)
United Kingdom = Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Australia = Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
Israel = Israeli Ministry of Health
Ireland = Irish Medicines Board
Germany = Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM)
These government bodies require that generic drugs have the same active
ingredients and are the same strength. The drug dissolution, absorption, and
elimination rates are also tested and must be considered therapeutically
equivalent. Purity and stability testing is also performed, and
manufacturing plants are regularly inspected.
Do generic drugs look the same as brand name drugs?
Usually, the generic equivalent looks very similar to the brand name when it
comes to dosage form, color, and shape. The markings on the tablet are
usually slightly different. However, sometimes generic drugs may look
different from the brand name. While the external appearance may be
different, the active ingredient is the same.
Do generic medications have the exact same ingredients?
Generic medicines have the same active ingredient in their product. However,
it is possible that some inactive filler ingredients may be different. These
filler ingredients can potentially cause a reaction in someone with an
allergy to them. This is extremely rare. If you have an allergy to a filler
ingredient, contact our pharmacists and they can provide a complete list of
filler ingredients for generic or brand name medications.
For more information on how Health Canada monitors generic drugs, click here.
For information concerning AARP and Re-importation, click here.
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