You’ve probably heard about generic medications, but do you understand what they are and how they come to exist? In this post, we’ll answer some essential questions about generic drugs and hopefully give you a clear idea of the cost benefits and other advantages you can enjoy by insisting on generic medications whenever they are available.
What Is A Generic Medication?
A generic medication is an alternative to a branded medication, such as Viagra®, used to treat erectile dysfunction, or Zytiga® used to treat prostate cancer. Generic medications contain the same active ingredients as their branded counterparts in the same dosage strength. Essentially, a generic drug is created to mirror the original drug’s efficacy in strength, delivery, quality, safety, and the medication’s intended use. The bottom line is that a generic drug delivers the same medical benefits as a brand-name drug.
How Do Medications Become Generic?
Most original drugs are developed by pharmacological companies under patent protection, which can last up to 20 years. No other company will be permitted to make the same medication during this period. Once the patent runs its course, however, the market opens up, and other drug manufacturers are free to make their own versions of the drug. These new versions must also gain FDA approval before being made available to patients, but the process becomes much more straightforward, as we’ll explain below.
Why Are Generic Medications So Much Cheaper?
Part of the reason is supply and demand. In most cases, when a company is in its patent-protected period, it’s relatively easy to set the price for its unique medicine.
However, the most significant reasons generic drugs cost much less are research, development, and testing. Being the first to develop a medication also means bearing the brunt of the extremely costly and time-consuming process of vetting a new drug for FDA approval, including conducting the in-depth animal and clinical trials necessary to prove a new medication is safe and achieves its intended results.
This costly research has already been done when generic drug makers enter the picture. It does not need to be repeated because generic versions contain the same active ingredients and dosages as the original. Yes, companies must still vet their generic versions for FDA approval, but the process is an “abbreviated drug application” and comes in at a fraction of the cost of approving an all-new drug from scratch.
In other words, the biggest reason generic drugs cost so much less is that it costs manufacturers so much less to gain approval.
The FDA reports that generic drugs are typically sold at discounts of 80-85% when compared to the original branded medication, a staggering statistic that saved the U.S. Healthcare System nearly $2.2 trillion in the decade between 2009 and 2019. So, what’s good for you is also suitable for our overburdened healthcare system.
Are Generic Medications Exactly The Same As The Original?
While generic medications contain the same active ingredients in the exact quantities as the original drug, they also contain non-active ingredients that are not the same as the original. These ingredients, however, do not in any way impact the efficacy of the medication. Generic medications are expected to have the same insignificant variability that comes with mass-producing different batches of an original drug. You will not experience any degradation in performance when choosing a generic medication.
My Generic Medications Look Different Than The Original
This is because the trademark for the original drug still exists even after the patent is no longer protected. Generic medications contain the same active ingredients, but other characteristics, including size, color, shape, and flavoring, may vary. The performance you can expect from a generic medication will always be the same. They work just as well as the original.
How Do I Know My Medication Is Available In Generic Form?
Many of the most common medications prescribed today are available in generic form, particularly in the men’s health and wellness space. Viagra® is available as Sildenafil. Cialis® is available as Tadalafil. Zytiga is available as Abiraterone. Flomax® is available as Tamsulosin. The list goes on and is certainly not limited to men’s health. Medications that lower blood pressure, control cholesterol, and treat countless other conditions usually have generic alternatives.
The easiest way to determine if your medication is available in generic form is to ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s catalog of approved medications—type in the brand name of a medication. When the search results pop up, click under the “Therapeutic Equivalents” tab to see a complete list of equivalent generic products.
Takeaways
Generic medications are lifesavers for so many individuals struggling with the high cost of healthcare. At MediSuite, we make generic medications created for men’s health even more affordable by applying e-commerce business principles that lower overhead, allowing us to pass the savings on to our customers.
FAQs
Are generic medications the same as the original?
Generic medications contain the same active ingredients in the exact dosages as their brand-name counterparts. While they may look different due to trademark regulations, generic drugs will be just as effective at treating a medical condition as non-generic medications.
Why are generic drugs so much cheaper?
Generic drugs cost less because the original manufacturer has already paid for the heavy price tag required for FDA approval of a new drug, including research, development, and extensive clinical trials. The approval process for a generic drug comes in at a fraction of the cost. Therefore, these medications can cost 80 – 85% less than their branded counterparts.
Are my medications available in generic form?
Finding out is usually as easy as asking your doctor or pharmacist. You can also visit the FDA’s catalog of approved medicines mentioned in this post.
Do generic drugs work?
Absolutely! Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients in precise exact quantities as branded drugs. The FDA must approve them as bioequivalent to the original medication before being made available to the public. Generic medicines are just as effective at treating their respective medical conditions as branded drugs.
MediSuite is committed to men’s healthcare by providing doctor-prescribed medications at affordable prices delivered directly and discreetly to your door.
