Table of contents:
- Get to know generic drugs and patent drugs first
- Is it true that generic drugs are not effective in treating disease?
- Don't just take generic drugs
Generic drugs are often underestimated by the general public. Many people think that taking generic drugs is not effective enough to treat a disease they are suffering from. Instead of bothering to buy drugs twice, you might just buy a patent drug that is clearly more effective and reliable. However, is that really so? Come on, see the following reviews.
Get to know generic drugs and patent drugs first
You may be more familiar with over the counter drugs than generic drugs. However, not a few people are still confused and find it difficult to distinguish between the two.
Patented drugs are new drugs that are only produced and sold by pharmaceutical companies that have patent rights. This patent drug was made through a series of clinical trials to prove its efficacy before it began to be sold and consumed by many people.
Meanwhile, generic drugs are drugs whose patents have expired so that they can be re-produced and sold by all pharmaceutical companies. In other words, the generic version of the drug does not go through clinical trials like patent drugs.
Is it true that generic drugs are not effective in treating disease?
If you were faced with two choices, between a patent drug or a generic drug, which would you choose to treat a disease? Some people may believe more in the patent drug that has more obvious properties.
Judging from the price, the generic version of the drug is also much cheaper and can even be half the price of the patent drug. This is why many people assume that the quality of this generic version of the drug is also “as cheap” as the price. Or in other words, this type of drug is said to be ineffective in treating disease.
Well, this kind of myth needs to be straightened out. In fact, generic drugs and patent drugs are both effective, you know.
Reporting from Very Well Health, the POM in the United States (FDA) said that the generic version of the drug is actually the same as a patent drug. Whether from dosage, efficacy, how it works, rules for taking medication, active ingredients, to safety.
It should be noted that a patent drug is a drug that is completely new to the pharmaceutical company through a series of research and clinical trials. When the patent drug has expired, this drug can be processed again and produce a generic version of the drug.
This means that the generic version of the drug contains the same active ingredients so that its effectiveness will also be the same. However, generic versions of drugs are usually given their own brand names to distinguish them from patented drugs. The color, taste, and shape of the medicine will also be different.
Don't just take generic drugs
Although both are effective in treating various diseases, there are slight differences in how generic drugs work. Because generic drugs are processed from drugs that have expired patents, this process makes some inactive ingredients from the parent drug (branded drugs) disappear.
Each drug contains an inactive ingredient which has some effect on the potency of the drug. This processing process makes the generic version of the drug a little less effective and triggers certain side effects in some people.
Take for example levothyroxine which is one of the hypothyroid drugs. People with hypothyroid disease are very sensitive to the slightest change in their medication. Whether it's the dosage, the type of drug, or even the difference in brand name though.
If people with hypothyroidism are accustomed to taking branded levothyroxine drugs, then suddenly use the generic version of the drug, then these changes can cause more side effects than before.
To overcome this, you should first consult a doctor if you are used to taking patent drugs and want to switch to the generic version. This aims to avoid excessive side effect reactions and still maximize the healing of your disease.
