The first version of a drug, which is marketed under a brand name. For example, Valium is the brand name for the first marketed version of the anti-anxiety drug diazepam. A version of a drug that is equivalent to the pioneer or brand-name drug and is not marketed until the pioneer drug's patent exclusivity has expired. Generics are not required to replicate the extensive clinical trials that have already been used in the development of the original, brand-name drug. Instead, they must show they are bioequivalent to the pioneer drug and fall into acceptable parameters set for bioavailability, which is the extent and the rate at which the body absorbs the drug.
Scientists measure the time it takes the generic drug to reach the bloodstream.
The generic version must deliver the same amount of active ingredients into a patient's bloodstream and in the same time as the pioneer drug. Brand-name drugs are subject to the same bioequivalency tests as generics when their manufacturers reformulate them. Before leaving your doctor's office and getting a prescription filled, there are some points to remember and things to consider. And the agency will continue to ensure the safety and effectiveness of drugs on the market. Second, physicians and their patients should discuss and decide whether a brand-name or generic is the best therapy.