Brand Name vs Generic Drugs: How Do I Know Which One to Buy?

Prescription drug manufacturing is an enormous industry, and because of government regulations, we have a wide range of choices when it comes to brand name vs generic drugs. When you are given a prescription from your doctor, you will be offered a choice between brand name vs generic drugs at the pharmacy. But is there any difference between brand name vs generic drugs, and how do you know which one to choose when you are receiving treatment for a medical condition. When it comes to brand name vs generic drugs, is one better than the other, or is the effect of the medication the same?

When you are trying to decide between brand name vs generic drugs, here are some of the things you may want to consider before you buy your medications.

Active Ingredients:

Are there any differences in the ingredients used in brand name vs generic drugs? According to government regulations, generic medications have to contain the identical active ingredients to their corresponding brand name medication. Generic drugs must also have the same method of administration and work in the same way. Generic drugs do not resemble the name brand in appearance due to copyright laws, but in all other ways they must be equivalent to the name brand.

Safety:

Whether you are taking brand name vs generic drugs, the medications are held to the same standards of quality and safety. Testing is performed on all medications, both name brand and generic, to ensure that they comply with safety regulations.

Cost:

The difference between brand name vs generic drugs typically comes down to the cost. When you buy name brand medications, you are not simply paying for the medicine you need to stay healthy. You are helping the drug company to make back the cost of developing the drug, having it tested through clinical trials, getting it FDA approved, and marketing it to consumers.

Generic drugs are cheaper mainly because they do not incur any of these costs. Generic medications are, in essence, reverse engineered from the original formula, so the manufacturer does not have any of the costs of research and development, marketing and government approval to recover through selling the medication.

Familiarity:

When consumers are deciding whether to buy brand name vs generic drugs, they often have a perception that the name brand is superior, because they have been exposed to marketing and have heard of the drug before. As with anything else, from food to clothing to cars, a familiar name brand is often regarded as better than an unfamiliar brand. When considering medications, there is no apparent difference in how well the drug works, and there is a definite advantage cost-wise in favor of generic medication.