Generic Drugs Make A Name For Themselves

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

tA YOU CAN USE @ @ Ov fieaith Generic Drugs Make A NameFor Themselves (NAPSA)—Increasingly, consumers recognize that the benefits offered by a medicine come from the ingredients and not just the nameon the label. For more than two decades, generic pharmaceutical products have been used by millions of American consumers to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including infection, heart disease, and cancer. Today, at pharmacies across the country, more than half ofall prescriptions will be filled with a more affordable generic drug. In addition to quality care, that translates to savings for consumers, since a generic pharmaceutical can cost up to 80 percent less than the equivalent, brand nameproduct. In 2003, the average price of a prescription dispensed with a generic drug was $30.56. The average price of a prescription dispensed with a brand name drug was $84.21. That’s a difference of $58 per prescription when the generic drug is substituted. And generic medicines offer these savings while providing the same medicine and the sameresults as brand namedrugs. The Food and Drug Administration requires that the generic pharmaceutical manufacturer must prove that its generic version of the product * contains the same active ingredient; * is identical in strength, dosage form and route of administration; Brand Name Drugs USD $30.56 Generic Drugs USD $84.21 Generic pharmaceuticals can cost up to 80 percent less than brand nameproducts. * has the same indications, dosing and labeling; * meets the same batch-tobatch requirements for strength, purity and quality; and, * is manufactured under the same strict good manufacturing practice regulations as the brand pharmaceutical. Pharmacists can play a key role in explaining to consumers the medical and economic benefits offered by generic medicines. Studies have shown that the more consumers understand about the benefits of generic drugs, the more likely they are to use them. Consumerslooking for generic equivalents can start by asking their pharmacists whether a generic equivalent for their costly brand is available, or by visiting FDA’s Web site of approved generic medicines at www.fda.gov/cder/ob/default.htm. For more information about the benefits of generic drugs, visit the Generic Pharmaceutical Association at www.gphaonline.org.

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