Research Findings

As I dove deeper into my research paper, I found many interesting fact, and a lot of information on the difference between generic drugs and trade name drugs. The main difference that I found between the two was the cost. The cost difference between the two is about 7o%; another word if you’re spending one hundred dollars to fill a trade name prescription you could save up to seventy dollars if you asked for a generic brand instead.


Many questions have been asked whether the quality and effectiveness of generic drugs have been compromised to make the less expensive competitor. The American government has been extremely active in ensuring that legal drugs are safe. More than Sixty-five years ago, Congress directed the FDA to create a system for assuring that Americans have a drug supply that was safe. Forty years ago, Congress required that legal drugs be proven to be effective as well, because modern medicines – when they are produced, distributed, prescribed, and used properly – should not only be safe but also should prevent the many complications and side effects of diseases. With a more global world unfolding, Congress enacted the Prescription Drug Marketing Act in 1988 to establish more safeguards as a way to prevent counterfeit drugs from entering the United States.

Many doctors would rather use the trade name drugs because they make more money selling you trade name drugs. Generic does not mean an inferior product. In fact, they go through the same scrutinizing analysis that trademark drugs go through at the FDA. As consumers, people need to start talking with their doctors to see if there are viable generic pharmaceutical alternative. If you can get something that is equally effective as a brand name, but perhaps with one noticeable side effect--more change in your pocket—isn’t it worth investigating?