In the pharmaceutical world, there is a long battle between brand name and generic drugs. Generic drugs are the type of drugs that have the same active ingredient as their brand-name counterpart but they contain different excipients, which makes them distinct. On the other hand, brand-name drugs are novel drugs that are developed by a pharmaceutical company and are sometimes protected by a patent. Brand-name drugs are original drugs that contain the active ingredient to make the drug working. People often have the perception that generic drugs are not trustworthy, but is that really the case?
To begin with, Generic drugs are less expensive than compared to brand-name drugs which creates a mentality that cheaper things are not to be trusted with. However, that's not true since there is a reason for a generic drug to be sold at a decreased price. When a drug is developed, it undergoes a research and experimentation phase that requires a lot of costing from the pharmaceutical company that is indenting to manufacture the drug. However, generic drug companies do not require the research phase of the drug development process and they directly start to manufacture the drug since they are aware of the active ingredient, which is tested and assured by the brand-name companies. Thus the cost of each drug of a generic counterpart is reduced, making it more affordable while maintaining the active ingredient. On that note, A generic drug firm cannot produce a counterpart of a brand-name drug unless and until it is out of patent protection.
For a generic drug to be available on the market, the company shall submit an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ANDA consists of the data and the evidence that the generic drug is both Bio-equivalent as well as pharmaceutically equivalent to the branded drug. For a drug to be Pharmaceutically equivalent it must contain the same active ingredient as the brand name drug, have the same strength, route of administration, and the same dosage. In terms of Bio-equivalence, the drug must have the same effect as the brand drug. Only if these criteria are met, FDA can allow the drug to be sold on the market. Thus, the efficacy of the drug can be trusted even if it is a generic drug since quality is not compromised.
As mentioned earlier, the distinction between a generic and brand-name drug comes with the excipients or non-active ingredients. A drug would normally contain a greater amount of excipient than compared to the active ingredient, in order to ease the pharmacokinetic or to make it edible. Usually, excipients are the root cause of some allergies or side effects that the patients experience, either in generic or branded drugs. Thus it is essential to look for the list of the non-active ingredients of the specific drug in order to avoid getting side effects.
In conclusion, it is thereby evident that generic drugs are in fact trustworthy and can be consumed as a substitute for branded drugs. However, it is important to cross-check with your doctor on which drug you may consume. Generic drugs are not only accessible but also affordable, making them available to a wider target audience and improving the overall healthcare of the society.
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