What is the difference between name brand and generic drugs?
A. The brand name is the trade name under which the product is advertised and sold. Initially, brand drugs are protected by patents, which enable the manufacturer who developed the drug to recoup the research and development costs incurred in bringing the drug to market for a predetermined number of years. Once a patent expires, other companies may manufacture a generic equivalent, providing they follow stringent FDA regulations for safety. Generic drugs are drugs for which the patent has expired, allowing other manufacturers to produce and distribute the product under a generic name. Generics are essentially a chemical copy of their brand name equivalents. The color or shape may be different, but the active ingredients must be the same for both. The preferred drug list contains only FDA-approved generic medications.
The brand name is the trade name under which the product is advertised and sold. Initially, brand drugs are protected by patents, which enable the manufacturer who developed the drug to recoup the research and development costs incurred in bringing the drug to market for a predetermined number of years. Once a patent expires, other companies may manufacture a generic equivalent, providing they follow stringent FDA regulations for safety. Generic drugs are drugs for which the patent has expired, allowing other manufacturers to produce and distribute the product under a generic name. Generics are essentially a chemical copy of their brand name equivalents. The color or shape may be different, but the active ingredients must be the same for both. The preferred drug list contains only FDA-approved generic medications.
