Generic vs. Brand-Name Drugs: What’s the difference?

You get a prescription from your doctor. You take the prescription to the pharmacist, and they ask you if you want the generic or the brand-name drug. Which one should you choose?

What are brand-name and generic drugs?

Image created by: Institute for Safe Medication Practices

Brand-name drugs are drugs that have a specific brand name by the company that manufactures it.  For example in the photo above, Benadryl is the brand-name drug of a drug called “Diphenhydramine HCl”.

Generic drugs have the chemical name of a drug. Following our example above, “Diphenhydramine HCl”, is the generic drug of Benadryl.

It is a common misconception for people to think that generic drugs are not as effective as brand-name drugs. Some people hear the word “generic”, and think of the knock-off brands of our beloved cookies, soda, etc. However, generic drugs are different.

What are the similarities and difference between generic drugs and brand-name drugs?

Image created by: Northwest Family Clinics

By law, generic drugs are made to work the same way as brand-name drugs. They have the same active ingredients, and are the same as brand-name drugs when it comes to:

• Dosage (how much and how often you take it)
• Strength
• Safety

In fact, nearly 45% of all prescriptions filled by pharmacies use generic drugs, and some hospitals use generic drugs almost exclusively. It is very likely that you have received a generic drug before, whether you realize it or not.

However, these drugs can differ in appearance. You may notice that generic drugs can look different in terms of color, size, and shape. This is because brand-name and generic drugs can have different non-medicinal ingredients. Non-medicinal ingredients are not responsible for how the drug works, but rather how the drug looks. Now… what about cost?

Why are brand-name drugs more expensive than generic drugs?

Image created by: SquawkFox

Firstly, the manufacturers of brand-name drugs have to conduct tests, known as clinical trials, to prove that their drug works and is safe. These tests are expensive, and some of these costs are passed onto the consumer.

Secondly, while brand-name drugs are only sold by one manufacturer, several companies can sell the same generic drugs. This leads to competition in the marketplace, meaning lower costs for consumers.

When should I consider buying one over another?

Sometimes, people can be allergic to certain inactive ingredients, which would make an individual buy one type of drug over the other. Another factor to consider is price. If you are on a budget, and allergies are not an issue, generic drugs may be your best option!

Here is a video made by AsapSCIENCE summarizing brand-name and generic drugs:

So next time you are at the pharmacy, consider generic drugs! Your body and wallet will thank you!

So now, let me ask you (again)…

You get a prescription from your doctor. You take the prescription to the pharmacist, and they ask you if you want the generic or the brand-name drug. Which one will you choose?

By Vanessa Lee