What is the difference between a brand-name drug and a generic?
Brand-name drugs are protected by a patent and manufactured by a specific company. Generic drugs are manufactured according to the same chemical formula of the brand-name drugs whose patents have expired. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that generic drugs have the same active chemical composition, and have the same potency and be offered in the same form as their brand-name counterparts. Brand-name drugs usually cost more than generic because the manufacturer of the brand-name drug had to adjust the cost of the drug in order to recover research and development expenses.
