True or False: Common Myths about Generic Drugs

Generic drugs are probably in my medicine cabinet right now.

True! Two out of every three drugs prescribed are generic. Generics are available for almost every health problem from asthma to heart disease to diabetes.

I can buy generic prescription drugs for as little as 11 cents per pill.

True! Many major pharmacies and stores offer generic drugs for $4 for a month’s supply, or $10 for three months. This works out to just 11 to 13 cents per pill. Find out if any pharmacies or stores in your area offer this price.

I want the best medicine money can buy. If it’s more expensive, it must be better.

False! Brand-name and generic pills work exactly the same. You might get more by spending more when it comes to computers or cars. But when you get a generic drug, you’re getting exactly the same medicine that is in the expensive brand-name drug.

My doctor gave me a prescription for a brand-name drug. He must think that a generic drug is not right for me.

False! Doctors know that generic drugs are just as good as the brand-name drug, if they are available. If your doctor writes a brand-name drug on your prescription, ask him if there is a generic drug you can use instead. In most cases, there will be a generic drug that is just as effective that costs a lot less. In some special cases, a brand-name version may be the only option or the better treatment for you. Ask your doctor to find out if a generic drug is right for you.

Newer, brand-name drugs are always better than older, generic drugs.

False! Studies show that older, generic drugs are often safer than newer, brandname drugs because more is known about their risks and side effects. Doctors have a lot more experience using them, and millions of people have taken them. Less is known about newer brand-name drugs because they haven’t been around as long. Most of the drugs that have been taken off the market or had new warnings added to their labels because of safety problems were newer drugs that had no generics – such as Vioxx.

If you want to save money, it is better to use free samples from the doctor’s office, rather than generic drugs.

False! Free samples will probably cost you more in the long run, because when you run out of the free sample, you will have to pay a higher price or insurance co-pay to get more. These samples are a way that drug companies get you to use expensive brand-name medicines that in most cases are no better than the generic version.

Generic drugs must pass the same quality tests as brand-name medicines.

True! Just like brand-name drugs, generic drugs must be approved by the FDA, the government agency that checks the quality and safety of all food and drugs sold in the U.S. The FDA inspects generic drug makers to make sure their plants meet the same quality standards as brand-name drug makers.

Generic drugs are even less expensive in Canada.

False! Prices for generic drugs are lower in the U.S. So, if there is a generic drug available for your condition, you will save more money buying a generic drug in the U.S.

Using more generic drugs will hurt the drug companies and prevent research and development of new medicines.

False! The largest brand-name drug makers spend more money on marketing than on research. Some experts have argued that the competition that brandname drugs face from generics gives drug companies an incentive to develop new drugs that are truly an improvement.

Generic drugs cause more allergic reactions and side effects than brand-name drugs.

False! There is no proof that generic drugs cause more allergies or side effects than brand-name drugs. A few people might have side effects when switching from one drug to another, but this does not happen more often with generic drugs than with brand-name version.

My doctor or pharmacy want me to take generic drugs, just to save money.

False! Your doctor and local pharmacist want you to get medicine that is safe, effective, and affordable. In most cases, generics are the best option when you compare price and quality. That is why two out of three prescriptions are for generic drugs.