Generic Drugs Podcast


Cliff Keltner, a clinical pharmacist affiliated with Sharp, explains the difference between generic and brand-name drugs in this Healthy Aging podcast.


Cliff KeltnerIs there a difference between generic and brand-name drugs?
The difference between generic and brand-name drugs really only deals with the time that they came out on the market. The generic has the same active ingredient as the original brand-name product and they perform the same way in your body as the brand name.

Do generic drugs cause different side effects?
The side effects that you would expect with a generic product are essentially the same as the brand-name product since the active ingredient in the drugs is exactly the same.

Why are generic drugs cheaper?
Generic companies don't have to go through the same process of approving the drug through the FDA, so it saves a lot of money. Secondly, because there's now multiple companies that can make the same drug, the medication cost, just due to the competition, lowers considerably.

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