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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
I never buy Advil or Bayer. I always buy Target (or another store's generic) brand ibuprofen and aspirin.
but for all other OTC meds, I always buy the brand names (NyQuil, Pepto, Tums, Advil Cold & Sinus, etc)
do you think there is a difference between brands and generic?
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Posted 3/16/08 11:36 AM  |
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MegZee
My bunny
Member since 5/06 8777 total posts
Name:
Meaghan
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
I think sometimes there is...
for instance, the Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash versus the CVS brand. They both have the same ingredients, but the CVS brand makes my skin break out and Neutrogena doesnt. I think there is more of the active ingredient in the neutrogena brand.
but for pills, i would think they are the same. I think they have to be.
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| Posted 3/16/08 1:23 PM |
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LoriH
There's no place like home
Member since 8/07 4110 total posts
Name:
Lori
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
I think there is. For example when I was on the pill, I took LoEstrin. This was the only pill that I didn't have a lot of side effects from. I changed insurance companies and switched to the generic version MicroGestin. I figured it would be the same. I was on it for only three months becuase it made me a crazy lady. I switched back to LoEstrin and was on it another two years with no problems.
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| Posted 3/16/08 1:37 PM |
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ChrisDee
My Girls
Member since 11/06 9543 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
No I do not think there is a difference.
The meds are even made by the same companies.
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| Posted 3/16/08 3:32 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
depends upon the med.
I was on tegretol for years (anti-seizure med). Despite drug coverege usually only re-imbursing for generics, the company (and I found out later, ALL drug insurance policies) pay for name brand tegretol becuase the generic simply doesn't work!
As for the random OTC stuff, I usually buy target brand too. I seriously doubt generic aspirin, pepto, or neosporin has less of a punch.
some delicate prescription drugs though, need to be name brand.....
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| Posted 3/16/08 5:05 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
I believe that there are definitely times you want non generic drugs - but other times generic are okay.
Generally - generic are the same active ingredients but can contain different non-active ingredients.
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| Posted 3/16/08 5:32 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Generic soaps and face washes and generic pharmaceutical drugs are two totally and completely different things.
Generic DRUGS (prescription and OTC) must be bioequivalent, which means they must essentially be the same in terms of safety and efficacy as the brand name equivalent.
So, the generic drugs that you take must be as safe and as effective as the brand name drug. Often, the only difference is in the excipients. (They will all have the same active ingredients in the same amounts.) Excipients are inactive ingredients used to bind and/or others put the drug together. Some people will have reactions to the different excipients in the generic version, but the vast majority do not. Similarly, some people will have a reaction to the brand name drug's excipients and not to the generic excipients (but we rarely hear about this... b/c no one will move on the generic version after having a bad experience with a brand name).
ETA -- If you are experiencing difficulty with ANY drug you take, talk to your doctor about it right away!
Message edited 3/17/2008 9:02:07 AM.
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| Posted 3/17/08 9:00 AM |
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Blu-ize
Plan B is Now Plan A
Member since 7/05 32475 total posts
Name:
Susan
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Posted by Kara
Generic soaps and face washes and generic pharmaceutical drugs are two totally and completely different things.
Generic DRUGS (prescription and OTC) must be bioequivalent, which means they must essentially be the same in terms of safety and efficacy as the brand name equivalent.
So, the generic drugs that you take must be as safe and as effective as the brand name drug. Often, the only difference is in the excipients. (They will all have the same active ingredients in the same amounts.) Excipients are inactive ingredients used to bind and/or others put the drug together. Some people will have reactions to the different excipients in the generic version, but the vast majority do not. Similarly, some people will have a reaction to the brand name drug's excipients and not to the generic excipients (but we rarely hear about this... b/c no one will move on the generic version after having a bad experience with a brand name).
ETA -- If you are experiencing difficulty with ANY drug you take, talk to your doctor about it right away!
agreed!!
My dad takes a generic, but the name brand is no good for him..go figure.
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| Posted 3/17/08 12:14 PM |
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MadDogMrsT
Wishing & Hoping
Member since 1/08 1227 total posts
Name:
Here's Hoping
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Posted by BabyMakesThree
I think there is. For example when I was on the pill, I took LoEstrin. This was the only pill that I didn't have a lot of side effects from. I changed insurance companies and switched to the generic version MicroGestin. I figured it would be the same. I was on it for only three months becuase it made me a crazy lady. I switched back to LoEstrin and was on it another two years with no problems.
I had a similar problem with my birth control pills, when they switched me to generic they insisted it was the same, but I felt compeltely different.
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| Posted 3/17/08 12:33 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Posted by BabyMakesThree
I think there is. For example when I was on the pill, I took LoEstrin. This was the only pill that I didn't have a lot of side effects from. I changed insurance companies and switched to the generic version MicroGestin. I figured it would be the same. I was on it for only three months becuase it made me a crazy lady. I switched back to LoEstrin and was on it another two years with no problems.
By any chance did you switch from either LoEstrin Fe to MicroGestin or from LoEstrin to MicroGestin Fe?
There are bigger differences b/w the Fe versions (mainly that the last 7 pills contain iron...)
Just curious -- you could also have issues just going from one version to another due to the differing inactive ingredients. It's just not terribly common.
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| Posted 3/17/08 12:56 PM |
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LoriH
There's no place like home
Member since 8/07 4110 total posts
Name:
Lori
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Posted by Kara
Posted by BabyMakesThree
I think there is. For example when I was on the pill, I took LoEstrin. This was the only pill that I didn't have a lot of side effects from. I changed insurance companies and switched to the generic version MicroGestin. I figured it would be the same. I was on it for only three months becuase it made me a crazy lady. I switched back to LoEstrin and was on it another two years with no problems.
By any chance did you switch from either LoEstrin Fe to MicroGestin or from LoEstrin to MicroGestin Fe?
There are bigger differences b/w the Fe versions (mainly that the last 7 pills contain iron...)
Just curious -- you could also have issues just going from one version to another due to the differing inactive ingredients. It's just not terribly common.
To be honest I do not remember if I was on the FE or non FE version. I never even thought about the Iron adding to it. I am sure it was not just the iron even if that was a contributing factor.
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| Posted 3/17/08 9:01 PM |
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justthe4ofus
I hate hypocrites!!!!!
Member since 5/05 6905 total posts
Name:
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
I think sometimes there definitely is. I can NOT take generic B/C I have horrible reactions, but I am fine with the name brand. I take generic aspirin and things like that and I am fine. It's weird!
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| Posted 3/18/08 6:04 AM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
It depends.
The more money to be made from a drug, the more places will make generics, and the less you know what you're getting.
If it's not a really popular or money-making drug, fewer people make it, so you can know more. For example, my allergy doctor told me Allegra generic is fine bacause only 3 places make it, and they're all reputable.
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| Posted 3/18/08 11:33 AM |
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
It depends on the drug and probably on the person. I guess they are different but some people will not feel the differences. I do with some drugs, not with others.
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| Posted 3/18/08 10:11 PM |
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Kate
*****
Member since 5/05 7557 total posts
Name:
Kate
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Posted by MadDogMrsT
Posted by BabyMakesThree
I think there is. For example when I was on the pill, I took LoEstrin. This was the only pill that I didn't have a lot of side effects from. I changed insurance companies and switched to the generic version MicroGestin. I figured it would be the same. I was on it for only three months becuase it made me a crazy lady. I switched back to LoEstrin and was on it another two years with no problems.
I had a similar problem with my birth control pills, when they switched me to generic they insisted it was the same, but I felt compeltely different.
Me too. Now I have to pay full price b/c insurance will not cover name brands if a generic exists. 
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| Posted 3/19/08 8:02 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Do you think there is a difference between generic meds and name brands?
Posted by JenniferEver
It depends.
The more money to be made from a drug, the more places will make generics, and the less you know what you're getting.
If it's not a really popular or money-making drug, fewer people make it, so you can know more. For example, my allergy doctor told me Allegra generic is fine bacause only 3 places make it, and they're all reputable.
Sorry, but your post isn't entirely accurate at all.
First, I'm not sure you have a good understanding of when and how generic drugs are made and the market for pharmaceutical drugs at all. While the market for the drug plays a role, there are so many other factors at work in the generics market that demand alone isn't the major determining factor. (Example, in paragraph IV instances where a defendant is successful in overcoming a branded patent, the first defendant to file gets 90 days of exclusivity on marketing the generic version of the drug. That gives a huge %age of the generic market for that drug to that company for many, many years to come. Depending on the strength of that generic manufacturer and its contacts, other generic manufacturers may choose not to heavily develop and market that drug, regardless of the size of the demand for it.)
Regardless of how many generic companies make generic versions of the drug, you will ALWAYS have the same information available to you about the drug. FDA guidelines apply to EVERY single drug on the market and they are taken very seriously. The same information must be on package inserts for every drug (no matter who makes it) and made available to you from your pharmacist or MD. You simply have to ask for it if you are getting a re-bottled form of the medication. Otherwise, you can look it up online. If you look at your prescription bottle (no matter what pharmacy you use), it tells you the manufacturer of the drug. 99 times out of 100, you can just go look up any information you want about that drug online at the company's web site for free. If not, your pharmacist can give you the package insert and any information you need.
It is absolutely not true that the number of generic companies making a drug impacts the information available on the drug -- or impacts your ability to "know what you're getting."
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| Posted 3/20/08 8:46 AM |
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