Posted by 3 Beer Effect on June 14, 2002, at 11:38:21
In reply to Re: Valium vs generic-should I worry?, posted by Elizabeth on June 14, 2002, at 0:49:23
In the U.S., if you have HMO insurance & the physician writes "no substitutions allowed" or whatever he is supposed to write on the prescription so they cannot give you a generic, you will only pay a copay of $25-40 dollars (depending on the insurance company you have) versus $10-$15 for generic. In many cases this might be worth the extra $15-30 dollars.
There are a few classes of medication where the generics simply don't measure up to the name brands, for whatever reason.
The two biggest offenders seem to be ADD stimulants, specifically Ritalin, & the Benzodiazepines.
I read the charts on name brand Ritalin vs. generic Methylphenidate, & the name brand Ritalin lasts a full half hour longer. The blood level of generic methylphenidate peaks way too fast, resulting in a slightly higher blood level, but then drops like a rock. Generics only have to have the same amount of "active" ingredient (methylphenidate) but can formulate the product with different, [read: cheaper] inactive ingredients/dilutents/excipients, & this difference in tablet formulation/inactive ingredients can have a noticeable effect on drug absorption & the efficacy of the drug.
Also, as I wrote before, EEG tests on Roche-made Valium, consistently indicated that it is much more active & effacious on all measures than generic Valium. It seems that the benzodiazepines as a class are a tough medicine to manufacture (as shown by the 'crapola' 1/2 strength or less benzos available in Mexico & Overseas Countries) & it seems Roche is one of the few companies to get it right (after all they invented benzodiazepines).
Plus to gain approval from the FDA, a generic only has to be 80% as effective as the name brand (although in some cases they can be stronger up to 125% but I think this is quite rare).
3 Beers......
poster:3 Beer Effect
thread:109727
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020609/msgs/109825.html