Benefits of Generic Medicines

1. Benefits of Generic Medicines medbuzz.in/blogs/benefits-of-generic-medicines Yesterday my mother asked me to get the regular medicine prescribed by the doctor that she uses for her nose allergy. When I went to the chemist store to get the medicine, he gave me a substitute to the medicine with a different name saying that this has the same composition and effect which the original one has. I gave it to my mother, and she told me that she has been taking it sometimes when the original one is not available. She told me that it has the same results that her original medicine gives. Now, this made me curious to know as to how two medicines with almost the same composition but different names are working equally well. After a lot of research, I found out that such medicines are known as generic medicines or medicines. What is a generic medicine? A generic medicine is a medicine that has the same ingredients as the brand name has with the same results. It is similar in respect to its dosage, safety, quality, strength and usage. The generic medicine can only be marketed when the patent of brand name medicine has expired, which takes around 20 years and is filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that the brand need not go through the process of Generic testing, clinal trials and medical discovery and the medicine can be available at a lower cost. Why should we Buy Generic Medicines In a developing country like India, health care is one of the costliest sectors to invest in. If people decide to buy generics will be very beneficial as it will save a lot of money which can be used for other health problems. Another advantage for people who buy 1/3

2. generic medicines is that they are easily available. A lot of high generic medicines are available equivalent to the brand name medicine. Apart from this,if one has to buy generic medicines online, it keep cost lower in the health care sector. The health care cost goes on increasing every year; thus, it becomes important that the generic medicines are made available to the patients. A study shows that when people started to buy generic medicines, the US health care system has saved around $ 1.67 trillion in the past ten years. In India, Jan Aushudhi programme was started in the year 2008 through the department of pharmaceuticals to buy generic medicines to the poor people at affordable prices. Pharmacies with the name Jan Aushudhi stores have been set up at many places to sell only generic medicines to further push people to buy generic medicines. With this objective, 3200 Jan Aushudhi stores have been set up in more than 33 states across India. Apart from this, the Medical Council of India has recommended that every doctor should ask their patients to buy generic name medicines and the prescription should be rational. In future, it would be ensured that such a framework is developed where the doctors will prescribe generic name medicines to the patients. One of the advantages of generic medicines is that they are cost-effective and cheaper than branded medicines. But that doesn’t affect the quality of the medicines. The users and researchers of Generic medicine claim that they are as effective as branded medicines. A study shows that 86% of prescriptions given in the year 2017 was for generic medicines in comparison to the branded medicines. This study shows the popularity of generic medicines in recent years. Let’s find out the advantages of using generic medicines. 1. Low cost- one of the most important reasons for the popularity of the medicines is because of the low cost attached to it. If one has to buy generic medicines online than the prices are 85% cheaper than the brand name medicines. Having a similar composition, strength and dosage, the generic medicines are comparatively less expensive as it is not required to undergo a lot of research and clinical tests. 2. Quality- Being cost-effective doesn’t mean that it is less in quality in comparison to the brand name medicine. It is equally efficient and effective as the brand name medicine. It has almost similar ingredients as the branded medicine. 3. Safety- From the safety concern, it meets the expectations here as well. Generic medicines have to receive approval from the FDA. To show that the medicine is equally effective and meets the quality standards. Inspections are done regularly by the FDA to ensure that the manufacturer and the company abide by the set rules and regulations. 4. Consistency- it has also been observed that the patients are more consistent and willing to continue to buy generic medicine prescription as it is cheap and cost- effective. It is safe and meets the quality standards as well. Therefore, the patients are willing to carry on with the procedure. 2/3

3. 5. Low expenditure on the health care systems- The cost on the health care services takes a heavy toll on the economy and the public. Therefore, it is beneficial that the generic medicines are manufactured so that the cost can be lowered and the public can be saved from the excessive expenditure. With so many advantages, some research also suggests that generic medicines have harmed the health of the people. It is also said that the ingredients might not be the same as the branded medicines, which might cause severe issues to the patients. Although in most cases, it doesn’t cause any clinical effects. Conclusion With a diverse market consisting of both the brand name and generic medicines, it becomes difficult to choose and decide which one to go for. The generic medicines can be used as it is cheaper and similar in its composition. The generic medicines are tested and approved by the FDA, so the quality aspect is not a concern anymore. The lower- cost medicines will be affordable for all the sectors of society. They will be able to cure and follow the prescription without digging a big hole in their pockets. So, using generic medicines as an alternative to the brand name medicines can be considered. But it is also important to be aware of the cons of such medications so that they do not have any issues in the future. At Medbuzz, we are an online generic medicine website and generic medicine app that provides cost effective and easy to home delivery services for people who want to buy generic medicines. If you choose to buy generic medicines online or otherwise, at Medbuzz, we can help you cut down your medical bills by over 70%. Do place your order on our online generic medicine website or our generic medicine app that is available for download on both iOs and Android. 3/3