Difference Between Generic and Brand Name Drugs
The brand name drug and generic drug are two divisions for drugs. On falling sick, we buy medicines inevitably so that feel better and restore all our functions before the disease has transpired. So we opt for generic drugs or brand name. What is the difference between the two so that we can decide buying?
Generic Drugs
Generic Drugs are made to be manufactured when the end of the patent life of a brand name drug is implemented. The drug should generally be bioequivalent when compared to the branded product as it is supposed to contain not only an active ingredient similar to the bioequivalent one but also the dosage form, dose and the way in which they will be taken. (E.g. 500 mgs, etc.).
Brand name drugs
The brand name drugs are those that a pharmaceutical company has made from the scratch. The company must make it a patent. Prior to the manufacture or sales of the product, they must submit a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration. Once the FDA has made all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the drug, the company can now have this product becomes a brand name as long as it is patent protected.
The difference between Generic and Brand Name Drugs
While generic drugs are made the counterpart’s patent protection is expired; the brand name drugs are made originally by a pharmaceutical company and sold in the market under patent protection. Generic drugs are comparatively less expensive, while the brand name drugs are tad expensive because they are sold exclusively through the company that has developed. While generic drugs cannot be sold without the permission of the company that developed the brand name counterpart, the brand name drugs have inherent patent protection that can last up to twenty years.
So these two drugs could be similar in some respects but close inspection they differ from the time they were made.