Brand Name vs. Generic Drugs - Sometimes the Same, Sometimes Not
Still, the work continues. As we reported, a few months ago the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confiscated all drugs manufactured by Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories. The action was taken, the FDA said, because of "the company's continued failure to meet the FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements."
Now comes word of a study that should draw attention from Canada's monitoring agency and perhaps the US FDA as well. Researchers at the University of Ottawa did a comparison of two antidepressant drugs and their generic equivalents - Effexor XR with Novo-venlafaxine XR, and Celexa with Gen-citalopram. Participants randomly took one version of each drug for several days, went through a period with no medication to clean out their systems, then took the other version.
They found that there was no difference in plasma levels between Celexa and its generic counterpart, but that people who took Novo-venlafaxine XR had significantly higher levels of the active part of the drug in their systems, and reported three times as many side effects.
There are other reasons why a person might react differently to a generic than to its brand name version, which we have summarized, along with precautions to take when switching to a generic, in Generic Drugs: Friend or Foe? But none of this means you should avoid generic medications! They can save you a great deal of money, after all. I myself take several generics and have had no problems with any of them.
The bottom line is that when you switch from a brand name to a generic, monitor yourself carefully and report any changes in mood, problems in perception, or new/increased physical side effects to your doctor promptly. If there is a pronounced change, don't wait for your next appointment. Use common sense to protect your health.
~Marcia
Source: Chenu, F, et al. Comparison of pharmacokinetic profiles of brand-name and generic formulations of citalopram and venlafaxine: a crossover study. J Clin Psychiatry Jul;70(7)2009 958-66. Web.21 Aug 2009.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Learn more or join the conversation!
NEWSLETTER |
FORUM |
BIO |
TWITTER
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comments
Wow. As someone who administers a group drug plan for a workplace, this is most disturbing. Ours, like many drug plans, is “generic”, meaning the insurance company only covers the cost of generic drugs. Plan members usually choose to get the generic version when first prescribed because, although they can get the brand name, they would have to pay the difference in cost out of their own pocket.
So, for me this raises the question: How many newly prescribed generic medications are being discontinued for side effects that might not have been noticible or objectionable with the brand name? Should doctors be advising patients to use the brand name first for a break-in period?
I am in the process of trying to find help with a problem concerning a generic drug that I take. I have been taking this medication for 6 years and before a generic was available, I had the real stuff and it worked like a charm. Now that I have to settle for a generic, it does not work so well. I KNOW they are putting “Placebos” in the generic or making a mistake and not making the generic brand correctly because usually only a few pills out of the monthly bottle seem to work and others…… Nothing!!! After taking this medication for 6 years, I can tell when it works correctly and when it doesn’t. How can I shine some light on this manufacturer so they do not get by with cheating people out of medication that is acceptably equal to the name brand?
This is good advice. But when referring to those with bipolar (as I am) and other such disorders it can be much more challenging. Our moods often change due to the disorder we have, so it is difficult to decide if the problem is with the drug being generic or simply another mood-swing or phase we’re going through.
Even though I feel that I’m on the best meds I’ve been on so far, since Menopause has kicked-in full force I am still swinging, and have been off and on all my life.
So, for me it’s hard to say.
But thanks for the head’s up.