What are generic medications, and are they the same as brand names?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), every year, more than 400 million prescriptions are filled with generic medications in the United States. The FDA regulates generic medications. They are allowed on the market only after testing has proved they produce the same effect on the body as their brand-name counterparts. Not every drug has a generic. One way to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs is to switch to generic drugs, which are priced 25-80% lower than the equivalent brand-name versions. One reason generic drugs cost less than their brand-name equivalents is that manufacturers of generics spend less money on advertising and product development because the brand-name equivalent is already well-known. When your health care provider gives you a prescription for a brand-name medication, ask if he or she can prescribe the generic equivalent instead. You also can ask if you can switch from brand names to generics for medications you already take. In some cases, pro
