IT·Science Talk

Generic medicines are not 'worse': a pharmacist's quick explanation

After the GONOM post about India's cancer drug prices, I noticed a few people saying they would never trust a cheap generic. I hear this at the counter often, so here is the short version.

A generic contains the same active substance, at the same dose, as the original brand. To be approved, it must show bioequivalence: that it reaches the blood in a comparable amount and at a comparable speed. Regulators inspect the factories in the same way.

What can differ: the colour, the shape, the inactive ingredients (fillers, coatings), and the price. Rarely, an inactive ingredient matters for someone with a specific allergy or intolerance, which is a good reason to tell your pharmacist.

There are a few medicines where switching between versions is done more carefully, for example some with a narrow therapeutic range, and your doctor or pharmacist will know which. But for most people and most medicines, the generic is simply the same medicine without the marketing budget.