All your burning health questions answered by the professionals. This week, we're discussing generic vs branded medicine.
“I have noticed lately that though my doctor has prescribed me certain named medications, my pharmacy has been giving me different ones . They say that these are just not the branded product, but a generic version. Should I be concerned? Are these generic versions as good as the branded item or could they be lacking in quality or effectiveness?”Generic medicines are safe copies of well-known medications that contain the same active ingredient as the original product they are based on.
Some medicines may be substituted by your pharmacist. Since 2013, the law in Ireland allows pharmacists to make a substitution in many cases. This is part of getting the best value for patients, the government and the taxpayer for the price of medicines. In some cases, it may not be possible to switch to a generic medicine. For a small number of products, and for certain patients, it is not advisable to take different versions of a medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you if you should not change to a generic version of a medicine you are taking. When filling your prescription your pharmacist will explain that a generic is being supplied.
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