Brand-name drugs or generic drugs?

Q I'm a 52-year-old very active woman who needs to take certain on for a couple of physical conditions that I have. Since I have to watch my expenses, I've started thinking about purchasing generic drugs, rather than brand-name drugs. My concern is that I won't be getting the same effect from a generic drug that I would get from a brand-name drug. Is there a real difference in the effectiveness of the two?

J.M., Charleston, S.C.

A Doctors, scientists and other researchers say no. The Federal Drug Administration requires all drugs to be safe and effective. So since generic drugs use the same active ingredients and work the same way in the body as brand-name drugs, they have the same benefits and risks as their brand-name counterparts.

Doctors say a generic drug is the same as a brand-name drug in quality, performance, dosage, safety and strength, and they work in the same amount of time.

According to medical experts, most patients are attracted to generic drugs because they are less expensive than the brand-name versions. Generic drugs are less costly because generic manufacturers don't have the various investment costs that the developer of a new drug has. Consequently, almost 50 percent of all prescriptions are filled today with generic drugs.

Although generic drugs are experiencing increased popularity, there's not a generic counterpart to every brand-name drug. After FDA approval, competitive drug companies can only sell generic versions after the usual 20-year patent on the brand-name drug has expired.

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