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Reasons For Picking Generic Drugs Rather Than Brand Names

11th June, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

If your doctor has offered you the choice between generic prescriptions or patented drugs you may be confused as to which option is best. The answer is that the quality of the medication would be identical. The only real choice is whether or not you want to save yourself some cash by opting for the generic product.

A drug, no matter whether branded or generic, has to have regulation through an official agency. In American this is the work of the Federal Drug Administration. No drug, food, or health supplement is allowed to be sold to the American public without being approved by the FDA. The FDA exists to make sure that we have access only to products, which are safe for consumption and have no unknown side effects

If a manufacturer of drugs were to introduce a new medication without the correct approval then the FDA would quickly use its power to stop distribution. Because of this, you can be certain that any generic prescriptions you are given would be above board and have the desired results. The only issue would be to choose a reputable source, for example your GP.

When all new drugs are first manufactured they receive a patent. In the US this is for twenty years. Only once the patent expires can another manufacturer make a generic version of the product. This leads in turn to a reduction in the cost of the original medication as competition increases.

No drug can be sold without first undergoing rigorous checks at each stage of the manufacturing process. The weight and the size are analyzed as well as the actual chemical properties to ensure the highest quality products. A generic manufacturer does not require such a large expense when compared to the original patent holder. Once the drug has been discovered the hard work has been done.

The biggest market for generic drugs is the developing world as these countries have a much lower GDP. There is controversy over whether or not poorer nations should be allowed a reprieve from the patents that protect life-giving drugs. In Sub Saharan Africa there is a huge demand for generic AIDS drugs. Fortunately there are countries like India and South Africa that place a lot of resources into researching generic medications for their populations.

We can argue whether or not we believe that healthcare should be freely accessible to all in society and if it is ethically correct for the major pharmaceutical companies to make vast profits from other people’s misfortune, but the fact is that patent laws exist. Whatever condition you may have, it is worth checking out whether a generic prescription would be available. The cash you save could be put to other uses.

There are advances in health care continually. Why should you pay a few hundred bucks for a prescription when the same results can be has for less than half the price through $4 generic? If you are thinking about buying generic drugs online then check whether the pharmacy is licensed before making an order.