12 Sep Generic vs Brand-Name Medication: What’s the Difference

When you’re at the pharmacy, it’s normal to feel a bit of confusion about whether you would like to receive generic or brand-name medication when the pharmacy technician asks you the usual question. While health professionals, from pharmacists to doctors, nurses, and students of RN to MSN programs, will understand the differences between the two, it’s important that you, as a patient, know them, too.

In this article, we will break down the differences between generic and brand-name medications so that you will be more aware when you visit the pharmacy.

Generic Medication

Generic medications are drugs produced to be the exact dosage, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use as their brand-name counterparts. They have the same active ingredients as those in brand-name drugs, thus, they have the same method of usage as well as the same clinical advantages. 

When it comes to the standards that generic medication must meet to receive FDA approval, drug companies are required to submit an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for approval to market a medication that’s the same as, or bioequivalent to, the brand-name product.

The Advantage of Generic Medication

If you’re after a highly effective and cost-effective alternative to brand-name medication, generic is often the way to go. The lower price point of generic medication is one of its biggest selling points. If you want to save some money, consider asking your doctor to prescribe you the generic alternative instead.

Wondering why there’s a difference in price point? Well, unlike brand-name drugs, drug manufacturers of generic medications don’t have to repeat animal or clinical studies that are required of their brand-name counterparts. Because of this, there’s a reduction in upfront research costs, which results in lower prices for customers.

Most of the time, a significant price difference exists between the original and generic versions of the drug, with the generic version being substantially more affordable for patients.

Brand-Name Medication

Brand-name medicines are the original products developed by pharmaceutical companies. These drugs undergo an extensive research and development process, which includes many years of laboratory research, animal studies, and clinical trials, to ensure they are safe, effective, and of high quality. 

Once the drug is successful in the trials, the company sends it to regulatory bodies like the FDA for approval. This process is the most expensive and takes the longest to finish, spanning over 10 years and involving a huge amount of funding.

The Advantage of Brand-Name Medication

Brand-name medicines are usually more expensive than generic ones. This cost mainly consists of the pharmaceutical company’s investments in research, development, and marketing that ultimately resulted in the procuring of this drug. Patients who see the security in a drug that is not a copy of the original one or a particular formulation can be the ones ready to pay the extra amount of money.

What are the Biggest Differences Between the Two?

As already mentioned, one of the biggest differences between the drugs is the price point. Brand-name drugs cost more than generic medicine because they require more investments in the production of the products. These investments include everything from the research and development of the drugs to their promotion to the public. 

Another point of difference is the ingredients used to create the medication. Although these two types of drugs are the exact same in the active ingredients, they don’t contain the same inactive ingredients, such as flavoring and preservatives.

While generic drugs are generally a good option for the general public, there might be some situations where the branded version would be preferred. For example, if a patient has an allergic reaction to the generic form of the drug or if his/her doctor recommends the name-brand version specifically because of its formulation or effectiveness.

Making Your Choice

Even though both generic and brand-name medications contain the same active ingredients and therapeutic effects, they don’t contain the same inactive ingredients, approval processes, cost, branding, and patient perception are likely to become the index for the preference of one or the other. 

Patients’ understanding of these differences will help them make the right choices and use the medication most suitable for their conditions and budget. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist for a consultation about the medicine that fits your needs.

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Last Updated on September 17, 2024 by Marie Benz MD FAAD