All those who believe that branded medicines work faster and better than the generic medicines will be surprised to know that generic drugs are as effective as the branded medicines. A generic drug is a copy that is the same as a brand-name drug in dosage, safety, strength, how it is taken, quality, performance and intended use. So they are as safe as their brand name counterparts. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requires all drugs to be safe and effective. Since generics use the same active ingredients and are shown to work the same way in the body, they have the same risks and benefits as their brand-name counterparts.

So if generic drugs are essentially the same as a brand name drug, why are they cheaper? This is because alternative or smaller pharmaceutical companies manufacture these drugs. These companies usually don’t invest in large things like research and development and media campaign. Another reason for which consumers pay so much for the branded drugs is because their manufacturers have television commercials that are on air 10 times a day. Research, development and advertising can significantly increase the price of a product.

As the generic ingredients are the same, nonprescription drugs have the same dangers, warnings, precautions and interactions as prescription drugs. A nonprescription drug has dosing and other instructions printed on the container label. We have to read them carefully before we take it.

A doctor may specify a brand name because he or she trusts a known source more than an unknown manufacturer of generic drugs. You and your doctor should decide together whether you should buy a medicine by generic name or brand name.

Some states allow pharmacists to fill prescriptions by brand names or generic names (if one is available). This allows patients to buy the least expensive form of a drug.

Then why not ask your doctor and pharmacist about generic drugs next time you go to pick your prescription up? They are cheaper and appear to look different than name brand prescriptions, but are made out of the same components. Generic brands of Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate) and Levitra also exist. Consumers spend more for these drugs typically for their brand name. The biggest difference is that you, the consumer, are paying for a brand name and not the medication itself.

Most consumers don’t realize that over half of all drugs currently on the market have a generic and cheaper counterpart. Some might shy away from buying these generic prescriptions considering them less effective than the brand name ones. This happens to be a common myth among consumers.

The next time you find yourself at a drugstore picking up your prescription, ask yourself “why as a consumer, should I pay more for a drug when a cheaper and same quality one exists? Why should I pay for all the research, development and advertising for this product?”

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