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Buying Generic Medication ? Read More from Online Reviews


Generic drugs, also known as generics, are considered as a category of medicine which were manufactured and sold without patent or brand name. These drugs are essentially the same to their branded counterparts. It is said that generics are identical to branded drugs in formulation, effectiveness, safety, quantity and manner of use. The main difference of generics from branded is that generics are cheaper.

Generic drugs, also known as generics, are considered as a category of medicine which were manufactured and sold without patent or brand name. These drugs are essentially the same to their branded counterparts. It is said that generics are identical to branded drugs in formulation, effectiveness, safety, quantity and manner of use. The main difference of generics from branded is that generics are cheaper. To tell the truth, generic medication, even those which were approved by the Food and Drug Administration, cost 70% less on average. It was estimated by the US Congressional Budget office that annual savings caused by generic drugs are from $8 billion to $10 billion.

Branded drugs enjoys the protection given by patents. Having a patent means that you are the accepted innovator of the medication. This allows for the producer to earn back their cost incurred from research and development of the product since they are given exclusive rights to create, market and sell such medication. However, patents only apply for a limit of 20 years; thus giving an opportunity for other manufacturers to sell generic counterparts of that branded medication. They are able to sell them at a cheaper price due to two reasons: 1. they did not spend money for the research and patent fees of the drug; and 2. is because of competition. Since there are more manufacturers selling the same product, they try to offer the lowest price possible.

One of the biggest concerns regarding generic pills is safety. This is a viable concern especially for generics formulated outside of FDA guideline. On the other hand, those that were able to pass FDA regulations are the same as their branded counterparts since the FDA only approves them if they have the same ingredients, amount, quality, and more. They may sometimes look different but in reality, they are just the same.

In the United States, almost half of all prescriptions today are for generic medication. This huge increase is caused by the number of patients urging their doctors to give them generic medication in place of branded ones. In 2008, global sales of generic drugs shot up by 170% since 2003 with 42% of these sales coming from the United States. This boost in popularity is generally credited to the low cost of generics.

Moreover, generic medication are offered even cheaper through online pharmacies. These online pharmacies would usually sell generic medication created from other countries such as India and are seen as a great way to save money. However, not all online pharmacies are the same and there are those who try to get profit through fraudulent means. This is why constant care is needed when ordering from such websites. In order to find which online pharmacies are safe to buy from, it is best to visit online pharmacy review sites first. From here, customers can learn from the experiences of other people from certain pharmacies. At the same time, some of these review sites offer a record of top notch online pharmacies as well. Saving money need not come with a big, so read first before ordering.

Read about Topills Review and unbiased comments about the Pharmacy Reviews.

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Author:andy fox
Publication:Food/cooking/nutrition community
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Oct 29, 2009
Words:580
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