What are generics?

Most patients know that generic medications are a cheaper alternative to buying brand-name ones. However, not everyone knows that the distinction between generic and brand is legal rather than medical.

Simply put, a medication is "generic" when it is made by companies other than the company that first developed it. In the U.S., this means that several years have passed since the development of the drug, and the original company has lost its exclusive manufacturing rights. In India patent law is more flexible.

In any case, generic medications cannot be sold under the original brand name, which is still legally reserved for the original company. Instead, they are given the chemical or generic name. So, for instance, a package of generic Viagra would say "Sildenafil" instead of "Viagra".

For similar reasons, generic medications may also look different -- different color, different text printed on the pill, etc. Inside, however, it is the same drug.