The FDA and the U.S Department of Health & Human Services recently updated and published a fact and myth sheet1 regarding generic drugs. The topic can certainly be a confusing one and this publication helps to "clear the air" when it comes to common misconceptions regarding generic (as opposed to brand name) drugs.
Take for example, the VERY common misconception that generic drugs are not held to the same manufacturing and quality standards as brand name drugs. This is a myth and is refuted by the recently updated publication, which reinstates and affirms the real facts regarding generics. Take for example some of the following myths and facts:
|Generic drugs never work as well as brand name drugs.||Research affirms that generic drugs are just as effective as their brand name counterparts.||Generic drugs are almost as expensive as their brand name counterparts.||Generic drugs do provide a very significant amount of cost savings in comparison with brand name drugs.|
|Generic drug components can be almost completely distinct from their brand name counterparts.||The active ingredients in a generic drug MUST be the same as the active ingredients in their brand name counterparts.|
|People who use generic drugs are probably not going to gain the same health benefits and advantages as someone who takes brand name drugs.||Research indicates that a patient can benefit just as significantly from generic as from brand name medications.|