Generic Drugs Can Be a Boon to Consumers

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- Many people look upon a vial full of generic medication with some small amount of trepidation.

Sure, buying generic can save you money. But will the medication be as effective? Will it even be safe?

The answer to both questions is "yes," pharmacists say, although patients need to make sure they've educated themselves about the generic drugs they take.

Generic drugs sold in U.S. pharmacies must receive Food and Drug Administration approval and be identical to its brand-name forbearer in terms of dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use, according to the FDA.

Generic drugs account for about 50 percent of all prescription drug purchases in the United States . Generics save consumers an estimated $8 billion to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies, the FDA says. And, when hospitals use generics, billions more are saved.

In most cases, people can take generics without a second thought, said Nancy Gray, a pharmacist for the Pill Box in Dallas , Ore.

However, people taking strong medication requiring regular medical oversight may want to take extra precautions when using a generic drug, she said.

"Generics have to fall within 10 percent of the original manufacturer's specifications," Gray said. "For most drugs, that's not a problem. It's sometimes an issue with a medication that has a narrow therapeutic window, where the blood level required for treatment is close to the blood level that can prove toxic.

"Those medications usually require regular blood work to make sure patients are remaining in that therapeutic window. My personal policy is that if I switch a patient on one of these drugs to a generic, I'll have them talk with their doctor about following up with some blood work."

People can save a lot of money using generics, Gray said. "It's significant, pennies to the dollar in most cases," she said.

Generics cost less because the manufacturers don't have to recoup the research and investment costs laid out by the company that first produced the drug.

"In most cases, the cost difference depends how long the drug has been available generically," Gray said. "At first, there's a very slight difference in price. That's true for the first six months, and then there's more competition in the marketplace and the price goes down more."

She warned that people should be careful pursuing additional savings by buying generics from online pharmacies or in neighboring countries.

"You kind of have to trust your pharmacist to stock reputable brands," Gray said. "Pharmacies from other countries, we have no way of knowing what's in those generics or where they came from. A lot of places are just out for price, and the lowest price available might not be the best option."

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