Category:
Generic Pharmacy
Region:
International
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GENERIC MEDICINES: THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR PHARMACIST
Source: The Virtual Medical Centre
Date: 14-Nov-2010
1. Is the generic any cheaper to me than the original medicine?
Many people believe that you pay more for the original version of a particular medicine than for a copy, called a generic.1 Generics are sometimes cheaper, but not always. So, if your pharmacist offers you a generic alternative, check - or you could find yourself agreeing to substitute the tried and trusted brand prescribed by your doctor with a generic copy at no cost saving at all.
Why the confusion when it comes to prices? Some pharmaceutical companies apply a premium, of up to $5.00,2 to the price of their original branded medicine when its patent expires and generic versions become available.
On the other hand, sometimes they choose to offer patients the branded medicine they are used to at no extra cost.3 In this case, it is reimbursed by the government (PBS) at the same price, so there's no increased cost to you or the taxpayer.
The moral is: always ask about the true cost difference between the original medicine your doctor has prescribed and the generic alternative - don't just assume the generic is going to be cheaper.
2. Is there a risk of confusion if the pharmacist substitutes my tried and trusted medicine with a generic alternative?
Although the active ingredient is the same, the generic version may look quite different to the medication you have been using and will have a different name. In fact, there may be several different generic versions available, all of which look different and have different names!
This can be confusing, especially for people who have difficulty reading, or speaking English, or who are older and/or taking more than one medication.3-5 And getting your medications confused can have serious consequences.6 For example, you could quite easily take a double dose of the same medication by accident because you have two versions with different names that look different.4-6
If you are at all worried about being able to keep track of your medications or about getting your medicines confused, you should think twice about accepting an alternative to the medicine you are used to.
3. In what ways are generic and original medicines different?
Different generic versions of a particular medicine may be different in colour, shape, and size, come in different packaging and be called by different names.7,8 As discussed, this can cause patient confusion, the most common concern that GPs and pharmacists have about using generics.3-5
There may also be differences in the other 'inactive' ingredients used in the product. While rare, there is a risk of allergy or intolerance to some ingredients like lactose or gluten, or to the colours used in the medicine.4,7 Inactive ingredients may also be an issue if you observe particular religious or cultural practices.3,7
It is also a fact that in some rare cases a generic medicine may not be officially approved by the relevant Australian Government regulatory department (the Therapeutic Goods Administration) for exactly the same use as the original medicine. Bearing this in mind, and the fact that it can be difficult for a pharmacist to judge why a doctor has prescribed a particular medicine, the pharmacist may not know whether generic substitution is appropriate.
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