“A generic drug may have certain minor differences from the brand- name product, such as different inactive ingredients. It is important to note that there will always be a slight, but not medically significant, level of expected variability—just as there is for one batch of brand-name medicine compared with the next batch of brand-name product.” FDA

Oui, un médicament générique agit de la même manière et offre le même avantage clinique que son originale.

Generic makers  don’t face the same costs as manufacturers of brand-name drugs. That’s because the brand-name maker often invented the drug, a process that can cost hundreds of millions. This is the rationale behind drug patents: They give pharmaceutical companies a period of years where they can make money on a product, in which they have made a large investment. That investment also includes advertising: all those TV commercials and billboards at bus stops.

For a generic manufacturer, no such investment is required — not in development and not in marketing. The drug’s formula is known, the clinical trials are complete; the generic maker’s only requirement is to demonstrate to regulators that its version is as good and effective in humans as the original.

According to the Medicine Regulatory Authorities, all medicines, including brand name medicines and generic medicines, must work well and be safe. Generic drugs use the same active ingredients as their brand-name counterparts and, therefore, have the same risks and benefits.

Many people are concerned about the quality of generic drugs. To assure quality, safety, and effectiveness, the Medicine Regulatory Authorities puts all generic drugs through a thorough review process including a review of scientific information about the generic drug’s ingredients and performance.