Generic drugs are medication alternatives to brand-name drugs. They offer the same active ingredient (the part that treats your condition) in the exact dosage and form (like tablets or capsules) as the brand name but with significant cost savings.

Patent Expiration: Brand-name drugs are initially protected by patents, giving the developer exclusive rights to sell them for a period. This allows them to recoup the high costs of research and development. Once the patent expires, other manufacturers can create generic versions using the same formula, leading to competition and lower prices.

No Research & Development Costs: Generic drug manufacturers don’t need to repeat the expensive research and clinical trials already conducted for the brand-name drug. They only need to prove their version is bioequivalent, meaning it enters the bloodstream at the same rate and has the same effect as the brand name. This significantly reduces development costs, reflected in the lower price.

NOTE: The decision to choose between generic and brand-name drugs should be made in consultation with a healthcare professional, considering individual medical needs and preferences.

• Inactive Ingredients: Generics may use different inactive ingredients (fillers, colors, flavors) than the brand name. These inactive ingredients don’t affect the medication’s effectiveness but can sometimes impact things like taste, texture, or how quickly the body absorbs the drug.
• Name: Brand names are unique and often catchy, while generics use the chemical name of the active ingredient.
• Appearance: Generics may have different shapes, sizes, and colors than their brand-name counterparts.

It’s not possible to find generic versions of all brand-name medications that exist in the market. There are a few reasons for this:

• New medications: When a new medication is first developed, the pharmaceutical company that created it receives a patent for a certain period, typically 20 years, in the US. This patent gives the company exclusive rights to sell the medication under a brand name. There can’t be a generic version of the drug during this time.
• Rare diseases: For some rare diseases, there may not be a large enough market to justify the development of a generic version of a medication.
• Complex medications: Some medications are very complex to manufacture, and it may not be feasible for generic manufacturers to produce an equivalent version.

However, generic medications are available for a large majority of brand-name drugs, especially those that have been on the market for a longer period. Approximately 50% of brand-name medicines have a corresponding generic version available in the market.