generic vs brand name drugs
Prescription drugs are available in generic and brand names. When discussing the difference between generic and brand name drugs, one can see that the generic drugs are a copy of the brand name drugs.
The brand name drugs are those drugs that have been researched and formulated by a particular pharmaceutical company. This pharmaceutical company will have the patent to the brand name drugs and cannot be sold by other companies. After a certain period, the brand name drug enters the public domain. Once it enters the public domain, other companies are allowed to manufacture the drug. They cannot use the same brand name, but can say it is the generic version of the drug.
One of the main differences seen between brand name drugs and generic drugs is in the cost. The generic drugs come cheaper than the brand name brands. Many of the brand name drugs may cost about three times the generic version. This is because the pharmacy companies have spent a lot of money on researching or in manufacturing the drug. In case of generic drugs, the cost is low as there are lots of pharmacy companies that copy the original version.
The ingredients of the generic and the brand name drugs are almost the same. But there could be differences in the choice of fillers and additives by the generic drug manufacturers.
The shape of the generic drug may be the same as that of the brand name drugs. In some cases, the same generic drugs may have different shapes.
Summary
1. The generic drugs are a copy of the brand name drugs.
2. The brand name drugs are those drugs that have been researched and formulated by a particular pharmaceutical company.
3. The pharmaceutical company will have the patent to the brand name drugs and cannot be sold by other companies. The generic drugs are not patented as they are just a copy of the original drugs.
4. After a certain period, the brand name drug enters the public domain.
5. Many of the brand name drugs may cost about three times the generic version.
6. The ingredients of the generic and the brand name drugs are almost the same. But there could be differences in the choice of fillers and additives by the generic drug manufacturers.