'You can trust any generic drug as much as you trust its brand name equivalent'
But are they really the same - and should people be willing to bet their health on the answer?
James Adams, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular pharmacology and toxicology for the USC School of Pharmacy, says absolutely - at least in the United States and Canada.
"You can trust any generic drug as much as you trust its brand name equivalent," Adams says. "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is very strict about quality guidelines in the production of medicines and rarely makes mistakes on that issue. If they find a difference in how the drug is made or works, they pull it immediately."
Generics' lower cost stems from economics, not from second-rate production of the plain-wrap version. Generics may not be made or sold until the manufacturer's patent on the brand-name version expires, giving the company time to recoup its investment in the development and testing of the drug. Once the patent expires, different companies can produce generic versions, and the competition drives down the price. Because of trademark laws, generic drugs are not allowed to resemble brand-name drugs too closely, but Adams emphasizes that there is no difference in quality or effectiveness.
He also says that generic drugs purchased in Canada are as good as those from the U.S. - and they are often produced locally by American companies or actually made in the U.S.
Generic drugs from Mexico are more risky. But if you have a known sample of a pill and the bottle it came in, and the pharmacy in Mexico can offer you a pill and bottle that match, Adams says, "you can usually trust it."
http://www.usc.edu
"Poþi sã ai încredere în orice medicament generic la fel de mult ca sa ai incredere in brand-name echivalent" - 'You can trust any generic drug as much as you trust its brand name equivalent' - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate