What are "generic" drugs?

What is the difference between generic and brand drugs? All prescription drugs have 2 names - 1) the chemical, or general, or generic name; and 2) the brand name. Any drug can be called by either of these 2 different names, but it is still the exact same substance, regardless of which name it is called by. Generic drugs are exactly the same as the more expensive branded version of a drug. They are cheaper because they are not made by the company that invented the drug. Because the inventing company owns the patent on their drug, they can charge higher prices for that drug while the patent is valid.

So, for example, Valium is the brand name for a drug originally discovered by the drug company Hoffman-La Roche (now called Roche). For 12 years after Valium was discovered Hoffman La-Roche owned a patent on Valium. This meant that only they could legally manufacture and sell Valium. However, when the patent expired back in the late 1970s, any company could start selling Valium, but they had to call it by the generic name (diazepam).

When any drug is invented it is given 2 names 1) the generic, or chemical name and 2) a brand name. When Valium was invented Hoffman La-Roche gave it the generic name "diazepam" and the brand name "Valium". However because it was marketed under the name Valium for 12 years, most people nowadays still call the drug Valium, instead of the generic name diazepam.

Generics' chemical equivalence to brand-name drugs means that they contain the same active ingredient, at the same strength (dose). Generics and brand will therefore have the exact same effect on your medical condition, as well as the exact same risk of side effects.

Generic medications are produced by multinational companies and in well-maintained facilities. In fact, the same pharmaceutical companies that manufacture brand-name drugs often manufacture generic versions of other companies' brand drugs, or even of their own, at the same time. Some of the companies that make generic drugs are huge long-established multinationals. For example Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. is an Indian company that mainly makes generics, but it is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (see Dr Reddy's stock price). Generics are not just made in India, highly developed countries like Israel host generic drug manufacturers, including TEVA, the world's largest manufacturer of generics. There are even increasing numbers of generics manufacturers in the USA, for example Able Laboratories in New Jersey, InvaGen Pharmaceuticals in New York and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, with factories in California and Ohio. So when you buy generics you should not assume you are getting something made at a lower quality than the brand name drug.

Some countries, like Brazil, do not always recognise patents for prescription drugs. This may result in drugs like Cialis, which are still under patent in the USA, being made in a country like Brazil as a generic drug.

If you are a regular user of Propecia, Prozac, Augmentin or many other popular prescription medications, you already know how expensive brand-name medications can be. These are three examples of popular drugs which can be made and sold legally as generics in the USA (because their patents have expired). Generic medications are the cheaper substitutes which contain the exact same drug and have the exact same therapeutic effect -- but they are much cheaper. Through online pharmacies you can get generic medications at even lower prices while at the same time saving yourself the hassle and possible embarrassment of a trip to the pharmacist. How can you be sure you are receiving the product you ordered rather than a fake? And how can you be sure you have found the pharmacy offering it at the best price? This is where Pharmacy Reviewer comes in - we have compiled a list of top internet pharmacies offering high-quality, FDA-approved generic medications, and compared the prices they charge for each drug. Just use the reviews or the price comparison feature on the front page to search for the medicine you need, using either the generic or the brand name!

As you probably already know, buying generic drugs instead of the brand-name versions of the same drug leads to significant savings. Generic is usually at least 50% cheaper than brand, and sometimes as much as 70% cheaper.

BUT...If you wish to purchase brand medications Pharmacy Reviewer lists many top internet pharmacies that stock enormous ranges of brand medication.