Generic vs brand drugs

[Awinai]

Is there any difference between the same medicine being generic, a cheaper brand and a more expensive one? Seems like the active substance is the same, and I don't understand where does the price difference come from. How can you tell if these drugs and medicines are good?

 

[Lev Butlerov]

There is a difference. I have worked before in the industry, and I have seen how things work. Basically, the great majority of the raws come from China, so all companies end up with the same product. But then the differences come into place when some companies filter and clean these raws more thoroughly than others. Therefore, many expensive compounds are more expensive, because additional processes and additional equipment has been used to deliver the purest and cleanest drug. So the expensive drugs will be much better as a general rule. I could give you an example of my father. Back in the other country he uses a generic Metformin, and from time to time he gets the metformin from the EU. Guess what, at the same dosage the European metformin lowers blood sugar 3 times as effectively.

 

[SteveMobsterG]

Is there any difference between the same medicinebeing generic, a cheaper brand and a more expensive one? Seems likethe active substance is the same, and I don't understand where doesthe price difference come from. How can you tell if these drugs andmedicines are good?

I disagree with Lev but it does depend on what drug we're talking about.

If it's paracetamol or similar then buy the generic.

 

[Lev Butlerov]

That, @steve, happens because you have not had this negative experience with the generics that objectively do not work as well as the branded ones. My father's experience with generic metformin vs branded EU metformin is just one of the dozens of examples I can bring up, all of which I have encountered personally.

As I said, many drugs are more expensive for a reason - they will usually undergo a higher quality processing, and that does matter.

 

[SteveMobsterG]

Objectively: in a way that is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.

''examples I can bring up, all of which I have encountered personally''

Note I said it depends on the drug. Now (I'm quoting here) 'Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand name product. Generic drugs do not need to contain the same inactive ingredients as the brand name'.

So, as per my example above, if I want to buy a 200mg Neurofen tablet (or a strip of them) I can pay £3 for a box of brand name or I can pay £1.00 for a supermarket generic version.

There's a consumer company over here called 'Which'. For years it's tested and compared products. One such test compared a bunch of brand name Neurofen products. All made by the same company but one was for neck pain, one for back pain and so on. Every one tested out as the same. No difference what so ever. Then we have newspaper reports of generic vs brand and (again as above) IF the ingredients were identical in every way there was no difference except in price.

You yourself say 'Basically, the great majority of the raws come from China, so all companies end up with the same product. But then the differences come into place when some companies filter and clean these raws more thoroughly than others.'

Objectivity needs to be what it said it is. Even in your dads example science argues that a one off result doesn't prove a theory.

To be clear - in the argument of branded vs generic - you must compare like with like. If there are missing or added ingredients, if the active ingredients are different in amounts or form then you are NOT comparing like with like. Where the above is identical in every way you pay a higher price for the branded name and or perception of value.

Regarding perception of value over actual value. It's a very, very simple trick. I can take two identical products - made to the same quality in every way. I sell one on street corners in a plain brown box dressed casually. The other I put on a white coat, stick a pen in my pocket and maybe add a stethoscope. I also make the box a white one. And instead I sell it in a store. Guess which one people trust the most?

 

[yock925]

Brand name drugs are always the better way to go if you can afford it. After a about 7 years a company can produce a generic. The active ingredients might be the same, but in most cases the brand name works the best. Usually better quality, including the fillers inside. My ex is bi polar and she could only take the brand name medication. If she were to take the generic version she would go crazy. I've noticed a huge difference in pain killers years ago between the two was really different. Always go brand name if you have the money and option.


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[stevesmi]

i swear when i am at the drug store and there is the store brand product and the name brand for a bit more the name brand has always worked so much better even though they have similar ingredients or the same. no idea why, maybe it is psychological

 

[MasonicBodybuilder]

If the ingredients are the same then it should make no difference.

 

[SteveMobsterG]

i swear when i am at the drug store and there is the store brand product and the name brand for a bit more the name brand has always worked so much better even though they have similar ingredients or the same. no idea why, maybe it is psychological

The placebo effect and the so-called 'white coat' effect are very real.

Heck, back in the day I coached a weak ass lad who was using a bench press machine (the kind with a stack). he said 'I can't bench 30-kilos' and I tricked him into being able to rep it by covering his eyes with a towel and not telling him the weight.

 

[muskate]

Assuming the dosages are equal - they will be absolutely identical.

The brand of the drug doesn't matter. It's kind of like comparing brand name groceries to no name brand. It's the exact same thing. You always pay more for brand name.

Generic drugs are great. I purchase them whenever possible since they are cheaper.