What it the difference between brand name and generic drugs?
A drug’s brand name is the name under which the product is advertised and sold. This name is protected by a patent so that only one manufacturer can produce it for the duration of the patent. Once the patent expires, other manufacturers may produce a “generic” that is chemically equivalent to the brand name drug and follows stringent FDA regulations for safety. A generic drug is a drug whose patent has expired. Other manufacturers can produce and distribute the product under the generic name that is different than the original brand name. A generic is essentially a chemical copy of their brand name drug. The color and shape may be different, but the active ingredients must be the same. The formulary contains only FDA- approved generic medications. An example of a generic medication is diazepam, which is the generic equivalent of Valium.
