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effective as brand-name drugs.
Actually, generic drugs are only cheaper because the manufacturers have not had
the expenses of developing and marketing a new drug. When a company brings
a new drug onto the market, the firm has already spent substantial money on
research, development, marketing and promotion of the drug. A patent is granted
that gives the company that developed the drug an exclusive right to sell the drug
as long as the patent is in effect.
As the patent nears expiration, manufacturers can apply to the FDA for permission
to make and sell generic versions of the drug; and without the startup costs for
development of the drug, other companies can afford to make and sell it more
cheaply. When multiple companies begin producing and selling a drug, the
competition among them can also drive the price down even further.
So there's no truth in the myths that generic drugs are manufactured in poorer-
quality facilities or are inferior in quality to brand-name drugs. The FDA applies
the same standards for all drug manufacturing facilities, and many companies
manufacture both brand-name and generic drugs. In fact, the FDA estimates that
50% of generic drug production is by brand-name companies.
Another common misbelief is that generic drugs take longer to work. The FDA
requires that generic drugs work as fast and as effectively as the original brand-
name products.
Sometimes, generic versions of a drug have different colors, flavors, or
combinations of inactive ingredients than the original medications. Trademark
laws in the United States do not allow the generic drugs to look exactly like the
brand-name preparation, but the active ingredients must be the same in both
preparations, ensuring that both have the same medicinal effects.
The following is a sample list of some common prescription drugs and the
differences between the Brand and Generic equivalent:
The current high prices for prescription
drugs are the indirect cause of many
deaths in Trinidad because of patients
not being able to afford them. The
pharmacists at Numed Center have
recently completed an extensive survey
into the prices of prescription drugs in
Trinidad and Tobago. They have found
that the majority of prescription drugs
can be purchased at a fraction of the
current cost if patients request generic
equivalents from their Pharmacist.
The differences in the cost of brand
name and generic drugs vary from
50% to as much as 1200%. In all cases
the generic drugs are the medical and
chemical of the brand name drug. To
substantiate this fact, the following is a
reprint from the United States Food and
Drug Administration website confirming
the bioequivalence of generic and
brand name drugs:
Generic Drugs, Are They as Good as
Brand Names?
(source:USFDA)
Generic drugs are copies of brand-
name drugs that have exactly the same
dosage, intended use, effects, side
effects, route of administration, risks,
safety, and strength as the original drug.
In other words, their pharmacological
effects are exactly the same as those of
their brand-name counterparts.
An example of a generic drug, one used
for diabetes, is metformin. A brand
name for metformin is Glucophage.
(Brand names are usually capitalized
while generic names are not.) A generic
drug, one used for hypertension, is
metoprolol, whereas a brand name for
the same drug is Lopressor.
Many people become concerned
because generic drugs are often
substantially cheaper than the brand-
name versions. They wonder if
the quality and effectiveness have
been compromised to make the less
expensive products. The FDA (U.S.
Food and Drug Administration) requires
that generic drugs be as safe and
Are Prices
of Prescription
drugs killing you?
Brand Name
Current Cost ($TT)
Generic Equivalent
Current cost ($TT)
Plavix
$22.00
Clopidogrel
$4.60
Glucophage $ 1.50
Glyburide
$0.25
Lasix
$ 3.00
Furosemide
$0.25
Norvasc
$14.60
Amlodipine
$1.60
Vasotec
$ 5.25
Enalapril
$0.35
Zestril
$ 4.40
Liso
$1.25
Voltaren
$ 10.25
Divon
$0.60
