Are All Generic Medicines Alike?
Are All Generic Medicines Alike?
No. There are three different types of generic medicines, and this can be a source of confusion. “True generics” are the same as the original brand but may differ in inactive ingredients. They are generally less expensive than the original brand medication and can only be marketed once the original patent is inactive. They look different from the brand but act the same.
“Branded generics” are generics with a brand name. They may not be as affordable as a true generic but may be less expensive than the original brand medicine. They are manufactured by a generic drug company or the original manufacturer after the patent expires for the original product. It must be bioequivalent (i.e., have the same ingredients and work the same way) as the original brand product. Sometimes branded generics may be in a new dosage form of the off-patent product. Some birth control pills, for example, come as a branded generic made by several manufacturers and have different names, but the same ingredients. One reason this happens is that manufacturers want to create loyalty to the branded generic product and the shorter brand name is sometimes easier to remember and pronounce than a long generic name, especially if it has more than one ingredient.
Another type of generic is called an “authorized generic”. It is an exact copy of the brand name version, authorized by the original patent holder of the drug product and marketed under a private label. These drugs are approved under a New Drug Application, so initially they may not be as affordable as other generics, resulting in higher copays.
No. There are three different types of generic medicines, and this can be a source of confusion. “True generics” are the same as the original brand but may differ in inactive ingredients. They are generally less expensive than the original brand medication and can only be marketed once the original patent is inactive. They look different from the brand but act the same.
“Branded generics” are generics with a brand name. They may not be as affordable as a true generic but may be less expensive than the original brand medicine. They are manufactured by a generic drug company or the original manufacturer after the patent expires for the original product. It must be bioequivalent (i.e., have the same ingredients and work the same way) as the original brand product. Sometimes branded generics may be in a new dosage form of the off-patent product. Some birth control pills, for example, come as a branded generic made by several manufacturers and have different names, but the same ingredients. One reason this happens is that manufacturers want to create loyalty to the branded generic product and the shorter brand name is sometimes easier to remember and pronounce than a long generic name, especially if it has more than one ingredient.
Another type of generic is called an “authorized generic”. It is an exact copy of the brand name version, authorized by the original patent holder of the drug product and marketed under a private label. These drugs are approved under a New Drug Application, so initially they may not be as affordable as other generics, resulting in higher copays.