PHARMACY: GENERIC DRUGS

A generic drug

is a drug which is bioequivalent to a brand name drug with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. These drugs are usually sold at a lower price than the brand name drug. Generic medicines must contain the same active ingredient at the same strength as the "innovator" brand, be bioequivalent, and are required to meet the same pharmacopoeial requirements for the preparation.

What are generic drugs?

Generic drugs (generics for short) are medications that contain the same active ingredients in the same concentration as their name brand equivalents but are sold under their chemical names. Generics are usually made available after the patents expire on the namebrand drugs that treat the same conditions

Generic drugs are safe, effective chemical equivalents to name brand drugs, but cost much less. Generic drugs are only approved by the FDA after it is satisfied that they are safe and therapeutically equivalent to their name brand versions. As part of our mission to bring a better quality of life to more people, Wal -Mart is committed to lowering healthcare costs by expanding the availability of low cost generic drugs

When can a generic drug be produced?

Generic drugs can be legally produced for drugs where:
          (1)The patent has expired.
          (2)The generic company certifies the brand company's patents are either              invalid,unenforceable or will not be infringed..
          (3) for drugs which have never held patents
          (4) in countries where a patent(s) is/are not in force.

The expiration of a patent removes the monopoly of the patent holder on drug sales licensing. It is also becoming popular for the large pharmaceutical companies to preempt the expiry of their patent by producing their own generic product, or license their own product to be branded by generic companies. Thus, in some cases, the "generic" product is actually the brand product but inside a different box.

Are generics really safe?


Yes. The FDA requires that generic drugs have the same active ingredients with the same strength, purity and stability as name brand equivalents

Why are generics less expensive?


The makers of brand name drugs incur high costs from the research and development phase of creating new drugs. Marketing these new drugs also costs money. Subsequently, the cost of these drugs is higher. Generic drugs are usually created and marketed after the patent on the name brand runs out. There are much lower research and development costs for generic drugs, so the cost for consumers is much lower.