Generic and Brand-Name Drugs

What are brand names and generic products?

All medicines have a chemical or generic name. The generic name describes the ingredients of a medicine. Medicines may also have a brand name. Brand names are assigned by the companies who have developed a drug. For example, the antidepressant drug with the chemical name fluoxetine has the brand name Prozac.

At first, new drugs are protected by patents and are made by just one company. The patent period allows the makers of brand-name drugs to recover what it cost them to develop the drugs. After the patent period ends, other companies may sell their own version of the drug. The drug may then be sold with other brand names or as a generic product with the chemical name. Sometimes the generic drug is also sold by the same company that first made the brand-name drug.

How are they alike?

All brand-name and generic products are reviewed and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Generic products must have the same:

• active ingredients
• quality
• strength
• purity
• safety
• dosage forms (pill, liquid, shot).

How are they different?

Generic drugs look different from brand-name drugs. This is because trademark laws do not allow generics to look exactly like brand-name drugs. Colors, flavors, and other inactive ingredients may be different. These differences may cause slightly different effects. Some brand-name drugs may be more easily absorbed by the body. Brand-name drugs may cause fewer or weaker side effects.

Never assume that a medicine looks different from the brand-name drug just because it is generic. Double-check with the pharmacist that you have the correct medicine before you leave the pharmacy.

What is the benefit of using generic drugs?

Generic drugs usually cost less than brand names because generic drugs cost less to make than the brand-name drugs. This is because the company does not have the research and advertising costs that the developer of a new drug had.

About half of all prescriptions are filled with generic drugs. Many insurance companies require that prescriptions be filled with a generic drug whenever one is available. Not all medicines are available in a generic form. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a medicine that is available only in the brand-name form.

What if I do not want generic drugs?

Sometimes brand-name products are preferred by healthcare providers over generics. For example, very precise control of the dose may be important, or the medicine may be hard to produce. Examples of brand-name products that might be preferred include:

• Coumadin (warfarin)
• Lanoxin (digoxin)
• Dilantin (phenytoin).

You can ask your provider or pharmacist if a generic form is right for you. If you and your healthcare provider agree that a generic drug is not the best choice for you, your provider will write, "Do not substitute" on your prescription. This lets your pharmacist know that only the brand name is to be used to fill the prescription. Depending on your health plan, you may have to pay more for the brand-name medicine.