MAGAZINE

Most people think that generic medicines connotes an inferior medicine manufactured by unknown pharmaceutical companies- intend for markets with less...

What is a generic medicine?

Most people think that generic medicines connotes an inferior medicine manufactured by unknown pharmaceutical companies- intend for markets with less affluent population. What people don't know is the real meaning of generic medicine and why it is called so. How a medicine does get tagged as a branded or a generic medicine? A pharmaceutical company that develops and manufactures a new drug has the right to call their medicine a branded medicine- meaning first medicine in the market for a specific illness. After manufacturing and producing their branded drugs, they earn all the right for it and a certain patent hindering other pharmaceutical companies to remanufacture their medicine for a certain period of time. Once the patent expires, this is the time that other companies can manufacture their own medicine using the same ingredients- thus calling it generic medicines. These only shows that ingredients and manufacturing for branded and generic medicines are just the same thus have same effect.

So why does branded medicines cost a lot higher than generic ones?

Patenting or getting a license to manufacture and market a new drug is costly not to mention the labour and expenses the company spent while on the process of creating the new drug. Getting a patent makes the drug more competitive in the market because it would mean it is safe to use and is clinically tested especially by the food and drug association. Aside from this, it means it is an effective drug for whatever disease it is aimed for. This is the reason as well as to why generic medicines are a lot cheaper than the branded medicines. Basically, generic medicines are just imitations, so most pharmaceutical companies who imitated the branded ones spent less, no more extensive researching and less effort in getting it approved since the branded medicine did work well. This is possible once the patent and license that a pharmaceutical company gets expired allowing other companies to copy their ingredients and manufacture their own kind of medicine.

Why does generic medicine cost less?

Despite all efforts in ads and promotions that generic medicines are good as branded medicines, some people still believes that generic medicines are less effective. What user’s doesn’t know is that most generic medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies who produced the same branded medicines that they'd been using. Aside from this, all medicines in the market, whether branded or generic passes the same quality and standard test to ensure they are safe for human consumption.

Why is there a difference in packaging?

You might find it surprising that branded and generic medicines differ in looks. This is in fact in accordance to law because even if the patent already expired for the branded medicine, it doesn’t mean other drug companies can copy them exactly as it is. Trademark law allows the uniqueness of each medicine thus interchanging branded and generic would be impossible.

Is generic medicine safe according to medical doctors?

Absolutely. Unknown to most, doctors prescribe generic medicines more than they prescribe branded ones. This is probably due to the fact that they know the real difference of the two kinds of medicines- it is just the price. As a matter of fact, American Medical Association urges the public to use generic medicines.

Who has the advantage of using generic medicines?

Today, most of our population are on the verge of aging. In the United States alone, less than 1/4 of its population are on their sixties, people who are on their medication and living on a fix government income (e.g. pensions or government subsidiary programs). It is then important that they are aware of generic medicinesand the advantage of buying it compared to branded ones.