Health Awareness
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Before addressing every myth circling around generic medicines, let us understand the mere meaning of generic medicine. In simple terms, a generic drug is a medication that contains the exact active ingredients of an already existing brand-name drug in the same concentration and dose.
To answer “What are Generic Medicines” simply, think of them as the ISI-marked version of a product that you can trust. Yes, the brand name is different, but the science behind their formulation is exactly the same.
A generic product consists of the same active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) as the original brand. However, you might see differences in the colour, shape, or packaging. If you carefully observe, the nature of these differences is cosmetic.
Generic drugs can only be released once the brand-name drugs' patents have expired, usually within 10 to 20 years after launch. At this time, the original drug will already have a long history of use in the clinic. So, the generic drug company simply copies the formulation from the original drug without having to conduct expensive R&D, hence the lower costs.
One of the most frequently asked questions with respect to the Indian Pharmaceutical industry is “Generic vs Branded Medicines: Which is Better?” And the answer is not what the majority, including you, have been believing. Any generic drug is as effective as its respective branded counterpart.
This is perhaps the most frequently asked question in Indian pharmacies today. Generic vs. Branded Medicines: Which is Better? The honest answer is that for the vast majority of patients, a well-manufactured generic medicine is every bit as effective as its branded counterpart.
Note: Before any generic drug is available in the local pharmacy, it has to prove its bioequivalence to its original patented drug. It simply means that the medicine should deliver the same active ingredient concentration into the bloodstream at the same speed. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is responsible for this testing. Also, the manufacturers must comply with the WHO-GMP standards before selling their products.
Hence, the only difference lies between the prices of the two and not in their quality or results.
With increasing out-of-pocket expenditures, generic drugs offer a viable and cheaper alternative that addresses this challenge in a manner that ensures access to quality medicines without any compromise on quality.
The healthcare burden in India is so much that people suffering from chronic diseases can reduce their monthly costs by using generic medicines.
Switch to generic medicines without any doubt or confusion in your mind. They are safe, more affordable, and the same as their branded version. So, if you want effective solutions, choose wisely and benefit from these generic drugs.
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