Generic or Brand Name Prescription Drugs in Texas - Which One?

As Texas consumers ride the roller coaster of health care costs, American Health Benefits continues to provide a choice of thousands of pharmacies where its members have access to discounted prices on prescriptions.  When you approach the pharmacy window, though, how should you answer the question “Would you like a generic equivalent for this drug if it’s available?”

What’s a generic drug?  Generally speaking, a generic drugs are the result of brand-name drugs which patents have expired.  The brand-name patents exist between seven and twenty years, after which other pharmaceutical companies may manufacture a generic version of the drug, with the approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A United States patent for drug companies is the protection, so to speak, for the multiple years of research, development, clinical trials, and marketing for the new pharmaceutical; thus justifying the higher price of brand-name drugs versus generic.

FDA requirements for drug purity, safety, potency, and quality are the same for all manufacturers, brand-name and generic. This means that generic drugs must contain the same active ingredients as the brand name whose patent has expired.   

Although most agree that the FDA approval process is thorough, controversy has risen over the past two to three decades regarding the potency and effectiveness of generic drugs, as opposed to their brand-name counterparts.  Joe and Terry Graedon of The People’s Pharmacy state that “several years ago…some pharmacists started telling us they had doubts about the quality of certain generic products. We also began getting letters from readers who had trouble with their generic prescriptions. Readers have shared their disappointment with generic pain relievers, antidepressants, blood pressure medicines and diabetes drugs. The generic drug manufacturers discount these reports. “

In response, Kathleen Jaeger, President and CEO of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association, wrote: "To set the record straight, there are no differences between FDA-approved brand and generic medicines. A generic must meet the same high standards as the brand-name drug, with the same safety and effectiveness, same active ingredients, same strength and dosage, same labeling and use and same high quality manufacturing standards."

While the health care industry debates the merits of both sides of the generic drug quality issue, the fact remains that consumers can save up to 50% of the prescription costs by buying generic:  

• Retail cost per day of Prinivil hypertension medication is $1.16. Lisinopril, its generic equivalent, is $0.60 per day, for a generic savings of 48.5%.
• The brand-name drug Ventolin, which is prescribed for asthma, has a retail cost per day of $1.44.  Its generic version, Albuterol, has an average daily cost of just $0.69, for an overall savings of 52.3%.

American Health Benefits encourages its members who want to keep more money in their wallets to ask for generic drugs whenever possible.  Ask if an alternate, less expensive treatment will work for your ailment or condition.  If this information isn’t readily available at your doctor’s office, he or she can simply call your local pharmacy to inquire about generic equivalents for your prescription.  For more information about prescription and health care savings, contact American Health Benefits today at 866-484-1991 or www.americanhealthbenefits.com.