Generic vs branded medication: What’s the difference?
More people are opting for generic medication. Here's why...
Photo: Unsplash/Ksenia Yakovleva
Anele and The Club (on 947) chat to Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, and Ronald Whelan of Discovery Health.
Listen below.
Do you know the difference between generic and original medications? In simple terms, a generic drug is a pharmaceutical that contains the same active ingredient as a once-patented drug and is sold after the original patent expires - usually at a far lower cost.
Reports show more consumers opt for generic medication over originals due to the lower prices.
“The whole idea is to make sure that people who can’t afford to pay a premium price also have access to the same treatment or medication.”
– Thembekile Mrototo, Anele and The Club
“Generics are much more cost-effective (22-56%) than the original… it allows you to achieve more affordable healthcare.”
– Ronald Whelan, CEO – Discovery Health
The original branded medication is usually more expensive because it is newer, generally groundbreaking, and is often used to treat difficult conditions - and has cost the company a great deal in research and development, which pushes up the price.
“What is the same is the active pharmaceuticals, the part of the drug that does what it is supposed to.”
– Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, CEO – SAHPRA
“[The] originator is where there was a lot of research and development done to identify this new active molecule… It was the first of its kind and is typically under patent.”
– Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, CEO – SAHPRA
The active pharmaceutical is under patent which can last up to 20 years.
Patents are sometimes sold, or the formula can be replicated when it expires.
In addition to checking that it is safe and of good quality, SAHPRA requires generics to compare their medications to the original to ensure they are as effective.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion