Patients should be stabilized on a particular product. There are not reliable bioequivalency standards yet for the biotechnologically produced peptides and proteins and they should not be substituted. Pharmacists should routinely notify the prescriber when generic substitutions are made. This counseling is a crucial element of a successful substitution. It makes the patient more comfortable with the product and improves their compliance.
Generic drugs provide a viable avenue to reduce the cost of drug therapy.
The FDA has set and maintains standards for the production and evaluation of generic drug products. While there are precautions that limit the indiscriminate use of generic substitution, in many cases prescribers have the ability to limit drug costs by choosing a therapeutically equivalent, less expensive product. A Physician Survey on Generic Drugs and Substitution of Critical Dose Medications. Bioequivalence and Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs. Bioequivalence Requirements for Generic Products.