Generic Medications:
No Appointment Necessary

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, April 22 and June 3, 2007
Show 410

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

What's the difference between brand name and generic medications? Our Health Corner Pharmacist, Sara Herman, has more.

Sara Herman, PharmD:

You know that's a great question that a lot of customers ask me about. The only difference between brand name and generic medications is cost.

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

In general, that's true. And by law, generics have to have the same active ingredient. They're also subject to the same rigid FDA standards.

Sara Herman, PharmD:

Right. Generics can save people a lot of money. The reason is simple, economics. When a new drug is developed, there's a huge startup cost. But once that drug has been on the market for a number of years, the patent expires giving other makers the chance to produce the medication under a generic name. The startup costs are much lower and that means that the drugs can be sold for a lot less.

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

That's right. So I always check to see if there's a generic equivalent for my patients. And patients should always ask their doctor about this, as well as their insurance provider, to make sure generic medications are covered.