Medicines will often have more than one name: a generic name, which is the active ingredient of the medicine, a brand name, which is the trade name the manufacturer gives to the medicine. The generic name is the official medical name for the active ingredient of the medicine.
Although they may not be associated with a particular company, generic drugs are subject to the regulations of the governments of countries where they are dispensed. Generic drugs are labeled with the name of the manufacturer and the adopted name (nonproprietary name) of the drug.
A generic drug must contain the same active ingredients as the original formulation. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), generic drugs are identical or within an acceptable bioequivalent range to the brand-name counterpart with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties.
By extension, therefore, generics are considered (by the FDA) identical in dose, strength, route of administration, safety, efficacy, and intended use. The FDA's use of the word "identical" is very much a legal interpretation, and is not literal. In most cases, generic products are available once the patent protections afforded to the original developer have expired. When generic products become available, the market competition often leads to substantially lower prices for both the original brand name product and the generic forms.
Common brand and Generic equivalents include:
Lipitor - The generic equivalent includes Atorvastatin, Torvacol, Torvan and Atorvas
Lipostat - The generic equivalent includes Pravamel, Pravastatin, Pravat and Pravitin
Crestor - The generic equivalent includes Rosuva and Rosuvastatin
Zocor - The generic equivalent includes Simator, Ritechol, Simcovas, Simtan, Simvastatin, Simzor and Sivatin
Nexium - The generic equivalent includes Nexazole and esomeprazole
Losec - The generic equivalent includes Omeprazole and Losepine
For more information on generic medicines and there prices contact Garvan at Lynch's Pharmacy in Douglas on 021-4366923 or click here.
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