3 Misconceptions About Generic Medicines– Why They’re Just as Effective as Branded Medicines.
Generic medicines can be perceived as inferior to branded medicines. This misconception is costly. The Expensive = Better Rule may apply to industries such as motor parts and garment manufacturing because raw materials that are high quality truly do cost more. However, it’s a different case when it comes to medicines. Here are misconception about generic drugs, and facts as to why they’re just as good as branded medicines despite the lower costs:
#1: Branded medicines are more expensive because they’re better
Medicines are products of years of research and development (R&D) by scientists, and that comes at a hefty cost. Branded medicines are more expensive because their manufacturers need a return on the investment they spent on R&D for their drug. To do this, these innovators have a period where exclusive rights to manufacturing their drug is theirs alone, and they can drive up prices to recoup their original investment. Patents typically allow 20 years for pharmaceutical companies to make this happen, after which other manufacturing companies can create the same drug and offer it at lower prices because they spent nothing on R&D.
#2: Generic medicines cause allergic reactions
Medicines need to contain more than their active ingredients to take on the form of a capsule or pill. Starch, for example, is a filler, binder, or disintegrant that helps stabilize a tablet and improve how the pill disintegrates once it’s swallowed so that the body can better absorb it into the bloodstream and ultimately work. Talc is sometimes used as a coating agent to protect the pill from harsh environments, mask unpleasant taste or smell, minimize side effects, etc. Because inactive ingredients may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, allergic reactions are caused by the differences in these other ingredients aside from the active ingredient in the medicine’s formulation.
#3: Generic medicines cause negative side effects
Formulations can vary depending on manufacturers even when they are approved by regulating bodies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Any medication can cause negative side effects regardless of brand because individuals react differently to distinct ingredients. Lactose, for example, is a common inactive ingredient that triggers allergic reaction. It acts as a filler or binder for pills. In this case, healthcare providers may recommend a different brand that does not use lactose as a filler for those with intolerance or milk allergy.
When it comes to pharmaceuticals, more expensive doesn’t always mean better because we take into account returns on the cost of invention, diversity in inactive ingredient formulation, and differences in individual responses to various combinations. In the end, they may be more cost-efficient than more expensive drugs.
What we do have to watch out for is whether or not drugs are real or counterfeit– another story widely covered every November.
