Are generic medications as safe and effective as the brand equivalents?
“A generic medicine works in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as its brand-name version.”—FDA1
What are Generic Drugs
“Generics” is used to describe prescription drugs that contain the same active medical ingredients as the equivalent brand-name drug. Generic drugs are safe and have the same results, side effects, and dosage as the brand-name alternative.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains the relationship between brand-name and generic drugs;
“Patent protection gives brand-name manufacturers the right to be the sole source of a drug for a certain time period so they can recoup the money they invested in trying to develop the product. Once the patent protection expires, a generic version of the drug can be marketed.”2
Why should I take Generic Medications?
In short, it saves you a lot of money. Generic medications are available for a fraction of the cost of the equivalent brand-name options.
Generics are essential to the U.S. healthcare system in order to reduce healthcare costs.
When a brand-name medication loses its patent, multiple drug manufacturers will produce generic equivalents of the band name medication. This creates competition and drives down the cost of medications by an average of 85% compared to the brand-name.1
This is a massive price reduction for an equivalent product that provides the same health benefits.
The competition between manufacturers for generic medications is great for all patients. This competition produces your prescriptions under the same guidelines, with the same ingredients, and with the same results, all while saving you money.
Are Generic Drugs as Safe and Effective as the Brand?
YES. Generics are considered to be equivalent to brand-name drugs. That means they will enter the blood in the same way, for the same amount of time, and have the same effect on you.
The lower cost is not because of lower quality, it is because there can be competition with generics manufacturers as they are already proven for safety and effectiveness.2
Generic drugs are subject to the same strict manufacturing standards as brand-name drugs.
3 Myths and Facts about Generic Medications
MYTH Generics are not as strong as brand-name medications
FACT Generics are equivalent to brand-name medications and undergo the same strict regulations to be approved. That means they will enter the blood in the same way, for the same amount of time, and have the same effect on you.
MYTH Brand-name medications are safer than generics.
FACT The FDA requires that all medications need to be safe and effective, whether they are brand-name or generic. Generic medications will have the same side-effect profile of their brand name equivalents.
MYTH Generic medications are cheaper and therefore lower quality.
FACT The FDA has the same strict regulations for both generic and brand-name medications. This means that both medications will be produced to the same high-standards that the FDA sets forth for drug manufacturers.