What Are The Differences Between Branded Medicines And Generic Medicines?

While visiting a medicine shop we often come across a question i.e whether we would prefer to have a generic brand of a particular medicine prescribed by the doctor or not. Most of the time you get totally confused as you do not have any idea about generic or branded medicines.

Generic medicines are simply the copies of branded medicines having the similar chemical ingredients mentioned in the trademark formulation. The application, dosage and the usage of the generic drugs are as same as their branded counterparts. But there are obviously some differences and that comes in the form of some inactive chemicals. These chemicals sometimes make the medicines look different in colours and sizes from the branded drugs. But maintaining these differences is necessary to avoid trade protection, patent and other legal issues.

But after reading this if you have already started thinking that you have done a great compromise with your health by buying such generic drugs then we must assure you that the generic medicines work as effectively as the branded ones. Though they are cheaper but that does not minimize their credibility.

How many times did you feel like scratching your scalp while buying Paracetamol? The shopkeeper must have confused you with a range of names that do the similar job. There are number of drugs which serve the same purpose but have different brand names. These are called branded medicines. Their names are defined by their mother companies. For example, we are all familiar with the name Paracetamol which is a generic name but there are number of companies who produce the same medicines but with different names like Calpol, Panadol etc.

Following are some of the basic differences between generic and branded drugs:

Though both the generic as well as the branded drugs use the same ingredients but there are a few additional ingredients which can be found only in the generic drugs and these are known as excipients which sometimes can be different or of low quality.

Though apparently similar, sometimes the quality differs from one another.  Though the patents of the branded drugs reveals the ingredients but they do not disclose how to prepare the drug. Therefore, most of the time the entire manufacturing process becomes completely different from the original one.

Apart from these two there are few more differences. The generic medicines contain a few active chemical ingredients as same as the branded one. But as the other inactive chemicals used in the generic one sometimes create the differences and that is called the bioavailability.

Though generic medicines are equally popular in the market as they have the similar effect and come at far more cheaper rate. But sometimes these medicines can be a little harmful. For example, if you are using a medicine from a particular brand for a long time the quality of the active chemicals becomes steady in your blood. Now if you suddenly change the brand it can create a reverse effect on your body. But according to the doctors generic medicines are safe enough to prescribe. All that you need to do is to take care of the amount and the dosage while consuming the medicine. And last but not the least is that always take medicines prescribed by the doctors to maintain a good health and happy life.