The Truth About Generic Medications
Many sicknesses, illnesses, and injuries can bring a whole host of residual medical problems with them, oftentimes resulting in continuing and ongoing care. Medications have become very commonly prescribed in Texas and throughout the United States, creating a lucrative financial market for the manufacturers of these drugs, in addition to driving up the patient costs to obtain them.
For this reason, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted pharmaceutical companies the right to manufacture their own generic equivalents for certain common medications. Not only did this allow consumers to better access and afford their prescriptions, but it also helped to regulate the economics of the pharmaceutical market. On paper, this is a wonderful system that has the potential to save you money in the short and long term.
The problem with generic medications, however, is that they are often not held to the exact same health and safety standards as their brand name equivalents.
These medications will contain the same active ingredients as the brand name drugs, but there is no regulation in effect preventing the pharmacologically inactive ingredients from varying slightly. This makes it possible for a person to have an allergic reaction to a generic version of the brand name medication they have been taking for years.
In fact, just this year, the FDA announced a new program to specifically look into the differences between generic and brand name medications used to treat anxiety, depression, ADHD, seizures, as well as cardiac medications. Recently, pharmaceutical manufacturers in India have fallen under serious scrutiny over medications that are significantly less effective. When a medication becomes generic, the patent on the active mechanism continues to fall under scrutiny. However, the delivery method is left to the individual manufacturer, resulting in medications that are not as strong, too strong, or release either too slowly or too quickly compared to the brand name medication.
Forty percent of all generic medications are imported from India, and 80 percent of all medications filled daily are generic substitutions. If you suspect that you or a loved one has suffered health issues due to ineffective or defective medication in Texas, contact an experienced New Braunfels defective drugs attorney at The Bettersworth Law Firm today for a free initial consultation with an experienced legal professional.
