Do all original brand-name drugs have a generic version?
No, generic drugs are only available for brand-name drugs whose patent has expired. Of the top 100 most widely prescribed brand-name prescription drugs in Canada, only about 25 have generic equivalents. Does the generic drug look like the brand-name drug? Not necessarily. On rare occasions the generic drug and the brand-name drug may have a different size, shape or colour. But they will work exactly the same. Are generic drugs widely used in Canada? Yes indeed. Generic drugs fill more than 40% of all prescriptions in Canada. Are there generics available for Over-The-Counter drug products? Yes. The patents have expired on most over-the-counter drugs, and therefore most have a generic equivalent. You often see generics as the “house” brands marketed by pharmacies. For example, ASA is marketed by many pharmacies under their drug store names. What about the ingredients in a generic drug? Do the ingredients make some products taste different? The active ingredient(s) in a generic drug and b
