Dearborn Heights Pharmacy on Generic vs. Branded Medicines: Which is Better?

When you go to a pharmacy like the Dearborn Heights Pharmacy, do you ever think about the age-old debate: generic vs. branded? Do you think about which one is better? Let’s shed some light on this topic.

Generic vs. branded: Spot the difference

First off, how do you tell the difference between a generic medicine and a branded one?

The simplest way is this: the generic name is in small letters while the brand name is capitalized. Plus, due to trademark laws, generic drugs need to look as different as possible from brand-name versions in terms of packaging, color, shape, and even flavor.

For example, metformin, a medication for diabetes, is a generic name while Glucophage is a brand name.

The pharmacists at Dearborn Heights Pharmacy point out that for dosage and quality, you will not see any difference between the two types. This is also true for how you use the medicine, its general effects and possible side effects, and risks.

So, the effectiveness of the medicine does not depend on whether it’s generic or branded.

Price

The main difference between a generic medicine and its branded counterpart is the price. Generic drugs are about 80 to 85 percent cheaper than brand-name medicines.

Does this mean that the quality of generic medicines is lower?

Not necessarily.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all generic medicines to be as safe and as effective as medicines with brand names.

The pharmacists from Dearborn Heights Pharmacy explain that the price is considerably lower because the makers of generic drugs did not spend millions of dollars to create and market those drugs.

You see, companies that sell new drugs have patents on them. When the patents expire, other manufacturers can apply to the FDA to create generic versions of those medicines. If many companies sell these particular drugs, then the price lowers.

So, are generic medicines better than branded medicines? It depends on you. The FDA, after all, imposes the same requirements for all companies it grants permission to manufacture drugs.

If you want to know if your medicine has a generic version, contact or visit the Dearborn Heights Pharmacy near you.

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