[radikal]

New Indian Express has come out with an interesting news item about the sale of Generic Medicines in Government
Hospitals. Though many of us are hearing the word of "Generic Medicine" now in the media, both visual and print, a brief introduction about this subject by Doctors in Tamil Brahmins Forum will help us in understanding the subject better. Also better we know how safe and effective the Generic Medicines are comparing to branded ones.

Bangalore gets generic, brands take a hit - The New Indian Express

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

[Big A]

This is a welcome move. Even in the 80s, in UK, a bottle of 100 tablets of paracetamol was available for 50 pence in Boots, while a strip of 10 tablets of branded aspirin was 50 pence. The drug company claimed in a BBC programme that their aspirin was micro fine ground and was fast acting.

Even with branded medicines, some doctors prescribe imported antibiotics which are in the rs 500 range compared to equivalent domestic medicines costing about 100. Obviously these medicines will be available in the medical shop near the doctor's premise or in the hospital shop only.

[9mm_fan]

Generic medications are good enough.
Some come with Bio Equivalent studies and work as well as the Proprietary Drugs.

It is also cheaper for patient and profit margin is also higher for the doctors(here doctors are allowed to dispense medications so patient does not have to go to the pharmacy to purchase medication).

In fact in my clinic I use all Generic drugs.
Most of my generic drugs are from India.
They work well...no complains.

[Ifroham4]

Greetings.

I buy only generic medications when they are available. They are cheap. Contains exactly the same ingredients. For example, Panadol ( Paracetamol) 500mg tablets costs about $2.50 - $3.00 for 24 pack ( don't know the exact price) where as Panamax ( or similar) which is also Paracetamol, 500mg I pay $3.00 for 100 tablets! ( I need them sometimes when I am not night shift and on early morning shift for upsetting my sleep pattern).

Cheers!

[Ifroham4]

I also know one more reason why some doctors only prescribe Proprietary Drugs and not generic ones...
out here some Proprietary Drug companies sponsor overseas holidays for doctors who purchase lots of this drugs.

So doctor gets a free trip overseas.
I heard once a company even sponsored a trip to Thailand and paid for all Vice activities of the doctors too.

Can you imagine?

[Drugmachine]

I also know one more reason why some doctors only prescribe Proprietary Drugs and not generic ones...
out here some Proprietary Drug companies sponsor overseas holidays for doctors who purchase lots of this drugs.

So doctor gets a free trip overseas.
I heard once a company even sponsored a trip to Thailand and paid for all Vice activities of the doctors too.

Can you imagine?

It happens a lot here. When I was working in the Aged Care facility, suddenly I found everyone "D Vitamin" tablets. Then I learned the drug companies are 'looking after' the doctor's interests. Lot of Aussies used to go to 'Bangkok' for holidays just for one purpose only in 80s and 90s. Now it is reduced a bit. I heard Bangkok was like 'Sonagachi-calcutta' at one time.

Cheers!

[Ifroham4]

New Indian Express has come out with an interesting news item about the sale of Generic Medicines in Government
Hospitals. Though many of us are hearing the word of "Generic Medicine" now in the media, both visual and print, a brief introduction about this subject by Doctors in Tamil Brahmins Forum will help us in understanding the subject better. Also better we know how safe and effective the Generic Medicines are comparing to branded ones.

Bangalore gets generic, brands take a hit - The New Indian Express

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

I had a personal mail requesting a simplified account of what exactly is generic.

When a chemical compound or mixture of compounds is discovered to have therapeutic properties, some investor acquires exclusive rights for marketing it to reap the benefits of his investment, through patent protection. So he sets a high price for the drug.

Once the patent protections afforded to the original developer of a drug have expired, that is, at the end of this patent protection period, ‘typically’ an expired patent cannot be renewed. So, somebody else can manufacture the same drug, which now gets labeled as generic.

So, a generic drug or 'generics' for short, refers to a drug product that is comparable to proprietary brand-listed drug product in dosage, strength, route of administration, quality and performance characteristics, and intended use.

Since the manufacturer of a generic product did not have to spend money to discover or develop the drug, he can afford to sell the drug cheaper than the brand-labelled product. Market competition thus leads to substantially lower prices for both the original brand name product and the generic forms.

Thus, a generic drug contains the same active ingredients as, and sells for a much lower price than, the original drug formulation that was marketed under a brand-name at high price.

In the US, drug patents give 20 years of protection, but the patents are applied for before clinical trials begin, so the "effective" life of a drug patent tends to be much lessthan 20 years.

[doctorzlo]

It happens a lot here. When I was working in the Aged Care facility, suddenly I found everyone "D Vitamin" tablets. Then I learned the drug companies are 'looking after' the doctor's interests. Lot of Aussies used to go to 'Bangkok' for holidays just for one purpose only in 80s and 90s. Now it is reduced a bit. I heard Bangkok was like 'Sonagachi-calcutta' at one time.

Cheers!

Dear Raghy,

I find lots of doctor behaving like desperados.
They like all free sponsored stuff.

Even when I attend some medical talks here..at times there is a lucky draw and 1st price might be some Samsung Tablet or Smart Phone etc.

Everyone will be filling up the form for the lucky draw and hoping to win it when they might already have one.

I do not like all this extra work of filling up forms etc so i do not take part in these lucky draws etc.

Here people are nuts for lucky draws.

Another thing is free food sponsored by drug companies..some shameless doctors even bring their families along when the meeting is strictly for medical professionals.

They bring their kids and wife to eat the free food.!!LOL

[Fegasderty]

In USA the Health Insurance is a privately managed. These insurance companies, force the doctors to prescribe generic equivalent to reduce cost. The generic are identical to the proprietary drug (after the expiration of patent).

A generic drug (generic drugs, short: generics) is a drug defined as "a drug product that is comparable to brand/reference listed drug product in dosage form, strength, route of administration, quality and performance characteristics, and intended use." It has also been defined as a term referring to any drug marketed under its chemical name without advertising.
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. The time it takes a generic drug to appear on the market varies. In the US, drug patents give 20 years of protection, but they are applied for before clinical trials begin, so the "effective" life of a drug patent tends to be between seven and 12 years.
Prescriptions may be issued for drugs specifying only the chemical name, rather than a manufacturer's name; such a prescription can be filled with a drug of any brand meeting the specification. For example, a prescription for lansoprazole can be filled with generic lansoprazole, Prevacid, Helicid, Zoton, Inhibitol, or Monolitum.

In USA most of the generics come from Indian Drug companies.

[Beerinkol]

I understand through my relatives who work in pharma companies, that unless one is in emergency situation, "eat an apple a day"..............................

[Ifroham4]

I understand through my relatives who work in pharma companies, that unless one is in emergency situation, "eat an apple a day"..............................

Good promotion by apple growers association.
But it is not enough. If you are healthy you do not need to do anything different.

[tgs]

Generic medications are good enough.
Some come with Bio Equivalent studies and work as well as the Proprietary Drugs.

It is also cheaper for patient and profit margin is also higher for the doctors(here doctors are allowed to dispense medications so patient does not have to go to the pharmacy to purchase medication).

In fact in my clinic I use all Generic drugs.
Most of my generic drugs are from India.
They work well...no complains.

dear renukaji !
glad to know that you use generic medicine. my memory goes back to 1960-1970 when our famous doctor sri .Easwaran in TRICHYwill give tablets and syrup which will cure many fever and diseases.while he questions about our problem itself will cure .his voice is curing voice. we do not know the the name of tablet, syrup name or the name of injection .