What are Generic Drugs?
Generic drugs are named according to the main chemical or salt present in the drug. These drugs are not given fancy brand names by different pharmaceutical companies and patented in the market; rather they are sold under their manufacturer’s name. Generic drugs may look or taste different from brand name drugs, but have the same chemical composition as theirs. This makes them identical in efficacy, potency, route of administration, strength, and dosage. As the action and effect of generic drugs are similar to the brand name drugs sold by pharmaceutical companies, they often prove to be the better choice. The generic drug may differ from the original in non-essential characteristics such as color, taste and packaging. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires generic drugs to be identical to patented drugs for their approval.
The term “generic” has several meanings as regards drugs:
1.The chemical name of a drug.
2.A term referring to the chemical makeup of a drug rather than to the advertised brand name under which the drug is sold.
Price Difference:
Generic-drugs
Generic drugs are significantly cheaper than their branded equivalents. Since generic drugs are not patented or advertised, the only cost involved is the manufacturing cost of the drugs. So, they can be sold at much lower prices, and the manufacturers can easily garner a profit on their sales.
Prices are low also because there is a close competition in the market for generic drugs. As most of the drugs are almost similar in their effects, like saying drugs for hypertension, which are widely available in generic forms, the sales go higher for the drugs which are more economical. On our site, you can compare the prices of known generic drugs with their branded equivalents and decide for yourself which is the better option.
