Are Generic Drugs Right For Me?
There are new drugs that are being researched and then developed in pharmaceutical companies all the time. When a company has made a new drug that they want to bring to the market, they have to patent it and then submit it for approval with the FDA.
When the company has a patent for the medication, other companies cannot manufacture the same drug and this protects the company that created the medicine against losing money on the research and development.
When the drug patent is nearing expiration, other companies can then apply to be allowed to manufacture that medication too. The drugs that are manufactured by companies other than the one that created the drug are known as generics. These are composed the same way as the original medicine, but they are less expensive for the consumer to buy at the point of sale.
There are a few reasons the costs are lower on generic medications. The first is that developing medications is expensive and the company has to recoup the costs they incurred in creating the medicine.
Next there are usually high marketing and advertising costs that are associated with a new medication. Advertising is done to the public, as well as to health professionals such as doctors and pharmacists. There are medical representatives who are sent to visit them and leave samples and merchandising materials.
Some people believe that because generic drugs are cheaper to buy the quality must be lower. This is not the case at all. The company cannot make the generic without having the approval of the FDA. To get this they have to go through an involved process that shows they meet the manufacturing requirements.
Other misconceptions that some people have about generics are that they take a longer time to be absorbed by the body or that they are not as strong. This is not right as the generics work in the same way as the brand and are structurally the same medication. Some people also believe that the pills must be manufactured to lower standards, but this is also an incorrect idea.
Although the medication is the same, the generic version will always look different to the brand name. This is because the law states they have to look different. The shape, size or color of the medication may be quite different from the original one, but that does not mean that they are different medications.
There are many generic drugs that are available on prescription and they will save you money on the cost of your medicines. If you want to try generic drugs, then you could talk to your chemist about them when you visit the drug store next time. Alternatively you can talk to your doctor about them and make a decision from there
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