Review: Generic Vs. Brand Name Drugs

Many people question if generic drugs are less effective than the name brand medications. When a drug is put on the market the chemists that produce the drug give it a name. For instance: the drug Zoloft was given the generic name Sertraline. When the patent for Zoloft expired, other companies were then allowed to manufacture and sell the drug under its generic name.

You might feel you are buying a knock-off of the drug when you buy the generic brand, which just isn't true. Whatever the chemical components are for a generic form of the drug-they are the same for the brand name. If you go to the drug store to buy Tylenol, and you see a non-aspirin pain reliever with the name Acetaminophen, it is the very same drug as Tylenol. If you wanted to purchase the anti-inflammatory drug, Motrin, and saw the store brand, Ibuprofen, it is the same drug as Motrin and Advil. Advil is another brand name of Ibuprofen. The active ingredients of the brand name drugs are the same as in the generic form. The concentrations of chemicals are in the same proportions, the only difference may be in the inert ingredients.

When a company produces a new drug, the company applies for a patent on that drug. Upon receiving a patent, that company holds exclusive rights to manufacture and sell that drug. Then, when the patent expires many other companies may then manufacture the same drug and put their label on it. The Food and Drug Administration requires that all drugs with the same generic name be of similar quality. For some, there may be slight differences in how the drug operates in the body due to the inactive ingredients, because different companies may use different inert ingredients as fillers. These fillers may increase or decrease the absorption rate in the body.

If you have changed to a generic form of medication recently, you may not have had any adverse effects; however, if you do notice any changes in how you feel, let your doctor know. Most people are able to take the generic forms just as well as the name brands. Occasionally the inert ingredients may alter the effectiveness enough to cause new side effects; if this happens your doctor may be able to tweak your dosage-by increasing or decreasing it-in such a way to put you back on track with no noticeable difference from the name brand. For most people generic brands are a good fit.