Among the many choices, and one worth considering if you need medication, is the option of using generic drugs. In deciding to use a generic drug, there are some important issues to consider and several questions to ask your doctor or pharmacist. Generic drugs are medications that are sold without a brand name or trademark. They are sold by their chemical, or generic name. Many seniors already know about the savings with generic drugs since Medicare does not pay for outpatient drugs.
Medications sold in generic form are often well-established, frequently used drugs.
Generic drugs are usually sold in packaging that is less flashy and the drugs are rarely the focus of intense marketing and advertising campaigns, which add to the costs of making and selling a drug. Quality and Effectiveness A common concern is whether generic drugs are of the same quality as brand name drugs. They must be produced and sold in the same form, dosage and route of administering the drug as their brand name equivalents. Manufacturers of brand name drugs are also frequently the makers of generic drugs. The generic drug may be cosmetically altered to differentiate it from the brand name products, but this does not affect its potency.