Are generics the same as brand-name medications?

Generic drug has the same active ingredients as brand-name but its known by its chemical name

What you should know:
•Generic drugs have same ingredients as brand names
•Generic drugs are as effective as brand names
•They are approved by FDA and cost less

Related Videos:
•Generics videos, http://www.youtube.com/user/CVSPharmacyVideos#grid/user/63C078EB0782D465

Related Health Articles:
•What are Generic Drugs?
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•Generic Drugs
No matter how it's marketed, how it's packaged, or what it's called, every drug is just a combination of ingredients. And, in many cases, you can buy the exact same medication without paying brand name prices. The use of generic drugs saves consumers an estimated $10 billion a year in drug costs... Read More: http://bit.ly/aQxhmC
•Generic Drug Savings
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Related Products:
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Medcenter Pill System $69.99 http://bit.ly/ciyp0Z

Transcript
Hi, I'm Melvin Smith and I'm a CVS pharmacist. You may have noticed generic medicines in your prescription bottles. A generic drug is a drug that has the same active ingredients as a brand-name drug, but it's known only by its chemical name. Generics are less expensive and can typically be substituted for brand-name drugs.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, generic drugs are just as safe and effective as their brand-name counterparts. In fact, they have to be, by law. Even though they may not appear in TV commercials, and their names may be difficult to pronounce, according to FDA regulations any generic drug has to have the same active ingredients in the same amounts as the brand-name version. They must be bioequivalent to brand-name drugs, meaning that they can be expected to act in the body just as the brand-name drug would, and the rate and extent of absorption into the blood must be within 20 percent of those for the brand-name drug.
Generics sometimes look different because they can't copy the look of a brand-name pill. Also, generics may have different inactive or "filler" ingredients. If more than one company is producing a generic version of a drug, each will be slightly different. These differences are clinically insignificant.
If you have any questions ask your CVS pharmacist. We're here to help.

Source: CVS Caremark Health Resources

Category:

Education

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