Posted by bleauberry on July 5, 2012, at 16:42:05
In reply to generic vs. brand?, posted by Exisessentialist on July 4, 2012, at 16:08:33
This is a topic of debate with clearly divided camps. Those that base decisions purely on laboratory data claim generics are the same as brand. They are empirically equivalent. Actually they aren't, but that's another story to fill a whole chapter. Those that base decisions on anecdotal trends claim generics can result in different effects than brand, despite being supposedly equivalent, and the effects are usually inferior to brand but sometimes superior.
I've followed this topic on this board for years. Basically some people have not had any problem with generics, while others have noticed significant deterioration on them. Some of the more popular names that seem to have multiple reports of generic problems include prozac, lamictal, xanax, gabapentin, but it has been reported with a wide variety of meds including non-psychiatric ones.
I studied an article a few months ago that dived deep into scientific explanation of why the differences exist, and it all made sense, it's just that it was a lot of stuff I'm not familiar with and difficult to retain all that in one sitting. Basically, the supposedly inert fillers can and do play a role, and the actual method and machinery used to create the active ingredient play a role. And some other stuff. Over my head at the moment..
I had a specialist who insisted on brand only because in his office he experienced too many quirks, difficulties, and failures with generics. The difference was so large that if a person failed a generic it didn't mean much until they try the brand. The one exception was one of the pain killers, where he had a generic that was better than brand. He would try to switch patients to generic later in treatment to try to get costs down, but if deterioration happened then it was back to brand, and I guess that happened a lot. I'm sure this happens in every doctor office, it's just that most of them are either not aware or not paying attention or insurance problems or waiting for generally accepted consensus.
Personally I have noted huge differences, almost like they weren't even the same drug. Even one generic version compared to another generic version are different.
If you have never tried brand, it is my opinion that if it is a med you are interested in you should not rule it out until the brand has been tried.
Sometimes people find a generic they like better than either brand or a different generic. I discovered that with Nortriptyline. One generic I had was clearly different and better for me than the brand or a different generic.
I think there is enough evidence to see the writing on the wall, but it remains a debate.
poster:bleauberry
thread:1020831
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120630/msgs/1020887.html