What is the difference between an FDA-approved generic drug and an unapproved unbranded drug containing the same active ingredient?
Pharmacists use the term “generic” to mean unbranded drug products containing a certain active ingredient. FDA-approved generic drugs, on the other hand, have undergone a rigorous approval process in which they are determined to work in the same way and to be as effective and safe as its brand name-counterpart, and the manufacturing, packaging, and testing sites have met the same quality standards as those of the branded drug. FDA-approved generics are safe and effective for patients to use, but when patients purchase unapproved “generics” from unknown sites, there is no guarantee as to what they’re getting, where it came from, who made it, or in what conditions. Patients can find a list of FDA-approved generics in the FDA’s Orange Book. Another risk that patients run by ordering a foreign drug not approved for sale in the US is being uninformed if that drug is recalled. When a US FDA-approved drug is recalled, patients are notified through the US media. If the drug is not approved for
