We have talked a lot about shopping online for medications you need. In my previous posts Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying RX Online and Safety of Your Personal Information I listed pros and cons on purchasing drugs online and wrote how to be careful when you decide to use online pharmacies instead of your local ones. As you know, all online pharmacies provide with generic medications. In this post I will give you answers to 5 important questions, which you should know about generics.
What is a generic drug?
Generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs in every way: strength, dose, side effects, safety, intended use and even the level of absorption into blood. Pharmacological effects of the generic drug are the same as those of their brand-name counterparts. Generic versions of brand drugs are sold only after brand manufacturer loses the patent due to its expiration.
Are generic drugs safe?
Yes. Generic drugs are 100% safe. Each generic is laboratory-tested to ensure that it has same active ingredients, safety, and blood level as the brand-name drug. All generics must pass stringent “bioequivalency” tests in humans and must meet the same standard that branded drugs do. Since 1984, no generic drug has been approved in the U.S. unless it has passed all needed tests. Is it safe to purchase drugs from the online store you found? Find that out! Ask their support if the pills they offer are manufactured by licensed factories and are FDA approved in the country of manufacturing. Is it safe for your credit card? It is if the online pharmacy website has a protection of your credit card data. You can see that in the URL for the shop's order page - if it starts with https://, rather than usual http:// then don't worry about your money.
Why are generic drugs cheaper?
When a brand manufacture first decides to develop a drug, he has to prepare everything for it be developed, protected and marketed in the US. This includes a market research, patent and so on. As patent expires, manufacturers apply to FDA to offer generic versions to the US market. Generic manufacturers don’t have to pay for developing a drug, its patent protection, TV ads, so they can afford selling their product at reduced prices.
What is the difference between generic and brand medicine?
Generic and brand medicine has three main differences: price, packaging and manufacturer. The main difference although is the packaging – the appearance of the containers as well as the shape and color of the pills. Generic drugs cannot look like brand ones due to trademark laws, so they are manufactured in a different from their counterparts color and shape.
Although brand name manufacturers make about half of generic drugs, generics, which you can find at online pharmacy stores, are mostly manufactured at Indian factories. Such Indian factories are being regularly inspected by visiting regulators from the FDA of the United States, Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, and other countries. The biggest Indian manufacturers are Cipla limited, Ranbaxy India Limited, etc.
Is a generic drug as effective as its brand counterpart?
Generic drugs produce the same effects in the body as the brand-name drugs, because both contain the identical active ingredients. Generics have been shown to be as safe as brand-name drugs and work no differently in children or the elderly.
The American Medical Association, the largest organization of medical doctors, states that generic drug products are acceptable for use by the American public. Most hospitals routinely use generic drugs for treatment of their patients.
It is recommended to discuss the choice of generic medicine with your physician, as well as the possibility to receive equivalent generic medications for your prescriptions.
So, you can save your money and still take care of your health and the health of your family. 45 % prescriptions nowadays are filled using generic drugs. Generics provide you with an option to receive high quality medications at affordable prices and with the least time spent on it. To protect your family and yourself from health or money loss, check carefully the online store you are going to use for generic purchases. Take care!
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Check the avialability of generic counterpart of the brand drug you are looking for at the relialbe Royal Pharmacy.
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