Pharmacy Drugs are in the highest demand worldwide post covid-19 pandemic. The demand for pharmacy drugs will continue to rise in the upcoming years. The sole reason is that the drugs are not only related to curing fever, cold, and flu symptoms; it’s much more beyond that.
The Pharma drugs include tablets, capsules, and sachets for boosting the immune system, such as multivitamins, iron, potassium, and many other drugs consumption for a healthy lifestyle. People are becoming health conscious and gradually shifting towards consuming immune-boosting drugs.
When a new drug is discovered in the Pharma Industry, it is a must to apply for a patent to prevent other companies from producing the same drug & selling it in the market.
The companies may take a patent right for up to 20 years, and during this period, they can sell the drug they have discovered and earn profits on their investment.
However, once the patent expires, other companies can produce a similar drug, which will be known as a generic drug, not a branded one.
E.g., Metformin is a generic drug for diabetes, and its brand name is Glucophage. Metoprolol is a generic drug for hypertension; its brand name is Lopressor. These drugs are known by different names in different countries. However, their generic name remains constant.
In this blog, we will walk you through the difference between a generic drug and a brand-name drug.
What are Generic Drugs?
A Generic Drug is a medication that works similarly to a brand-name medicine in terms of dosage, strength, safety, quality, performance characteristics, & route of administration.
Generic Medicines have the same active ingredients present in brand-name medicines and provide the same clinical benefits as a brand-name drug. You can consume a generic drug as an equal substitute for its brand-name drug counterpart.
The primary purpose of generic medicine is to help customers buy the required drug for the cure within their budget.
Why does a Generic Drug (Medicine) look different from a Branded Name Drug?
There are trademark laws in different countries prohibiting a generic drug from looking the same as a Branded Name Drug in the market. Though both share the same active ingredients, other characteristics should be different, such as colors & flavorings.
And the manufacturer of the generic drug must ensure that it should not affect the safety, performance, and effectiveness of the generic medicine.
Why do Generic Drugs cost less than Brand Name Drugs?
Generic Drugs are approved only after thorough testing & a rigorous review according to the country guidelines they are getting manufactured in. And after a set period, once the brand name drug has been on the market exclusively.
It is done because new drugs are mostly protected by patents prohibiting other manufacturers from manufacturing & selling the same drug.
Generic Drugs cost less because the applicants don’t have to conduct the same animal & human testing that was required for manufacturing the brand-name drug to demonstrate its safety & effectiveness.
Because of the reduction in upfront research costs, generic drugs have the same therapeutic effect like their branded-name drug counterparts. And they are sold at substantial discounts of around 80-85% compared to branded name drugs.
When a large number of generic companies are approved for marketing a single generic drug, more competition will exist in the market, resulting in lower prices for patients (customers).
As Generic Drugs are cheaper than Brand Name Drugs, will that affect the quality of Generic Drugs?
Many patients face this confusion that the cheaper the drugs, the lower will be its quality & performance. However, generic drugs are manufactured according to the country’s guidelines they are getting manufactured in. All generic drugs must have the same effectiveness and active ingredients as the brand-name drug.
For branding purposes, generic drugs are different from brand-name drugs in terms of look, shape, color, and taste, and they must have a unique brand name. These areas of difference make generic drugs different from brand-name drugs with the same active ingredients.
As mentioned above, Generic Drugs are cheaper, and it doesn’t include the cost of research, development, patents, marketing, & promotion. But, having the same active ingredient and being approved according to the country’s guidelines they are getting manufactured in, they are effective like a branded drug.
How do you find you are getting the right generic drug at the pharmacy?
If your prescription contains a brand-name drug, but your doctor permits a generic drug, the drug label will have an active ingredient. Generic & Brand Name Drugs have the same active ingredients.
However, we recommend talking to your doctor to get the right drug. It would be best not to assume a drug is the same by its appearance as it involves understanding its active ingredients.
Conclusion
After reading the blog, you will have firm clarity regarding the difference between generic and brand-name drugs in terms of ingredients, cost, and quality. However, if you have questions, contact us, and one of our representatives will contact you.
At Pyxus Pharmaceuticals, we manufacture the highest-quality Generic Drugs developed at our WHO-GMP & EU-GMP certified Manufacturing Plant in Ahmedabad. Being one of the top 10 Generic Medicines Manufacturing Companies in India, we export to Africa, the Middle East, CIS Countries, Latin America, and more.
Contact us at +91-9824728969 or email at ahemad@pyxuspharmaceuticals.com for a quotation of our Generic Medicines.
