A conscientious doctor, prescribing treatment, is usually interested in the patient's material capacities - as a rule, there is a more affordable analogue for almost every expensive drug in a pharmacy. Pharmacists also know that the "line" of the same drug is wide.
And why is there such a difference in prices? And isn't it dangerous to save on expensive medicines, preferring cheaper ones? And where to buy cheaper generic analogs?
To put it simply, the reason is as follows. Each medicine is "invented" by pharmacologists that find a therapeutic molecule, synthesize a substance, together with biologists and doctors check its non-toxicity, safety first on animals, then on healthy volunteers. And only at the final stage, the new drug is tested on patients. All these impressive costs are included in the price. Plus to that - advertising "promotion". It turns out very expensive.
A new drug is not allowed to be copied for about 10 year. During this time, the pharmaceutical company "recaptures" the funds invested in the development. And all this time, the original drug has been sold at a high price - after all, it has no competitors on the market.
When a patent expires, generic companies that "copy" already known drugs release them under their own names. They do not conduct full-scale clinical studies - since the chemical formula of the generic is fully consistent with the branded. Therefore, generics are always cheaper than original drugs. So, for example, all generic positions from cerritosanatomy.com tested by the Trust Pharmacy staff additionally to be sure they are of top-quality.
Large generic companies with a name and reputation spend money on both quality and brand advertising. Therefore, branded generics are also quite expensive. In the vast majority of cases, these are high-quality, proven drugs. But many generic manufacturers distribute medicines among online and offline pharmacies. They, in turn, make advertising that attracts many people to buy medicines produced by such pharmaceutical companies. Trust Pharmacy administration points out that they have regular customers among people living all over the world.
The cheapest analog is a drug that does not have its own name (brand), but is called according to the INN - the international non-proprietary name of the active substance.
Examine any packaging: under a large brand name (for example, Aspirin) - the active ingredient or INN (acetylsalicylic acid) must be indicated. If the package contains only INNs, you are dealing with a non-branded generic. These drugs are the cheapest. You can, for example, buy the advertised Mezim, but you can replace it with analogs from a number of pancreatins. Often, doctors recommend avoiding drugs issued under the INN as side effects may arise. Since the drug is "nameless", the manufacturer can save on everything, including compliance with production standards and the quality of raw materials.
Why did we tell all this in such detail? The patient must understand what and how he is going to be treated. If, for example, we are talking about a cold with a stuffy nose, you can not buy expensive spray, but take a cheaper generic. But you should use it for a short time - it dries out the nasal mucosa becoming an addictive substance.
Another example is completely different. At many cardioforums the question is being discussed: is it possible to replace the expensive original drug with the generic, which is three times cheaper? Both drugs are registered, both are produced by reputable companies. We are talking about patients who have had myocardial infarction or coronary artery stenting. Taking a drug that prevents blood clots is a matter of life and death for them.
Most interventional surgeons insist: there is no need to take risks, it is better to use the original medicine and only in the most extreme case switch to an analog. Patients, in turn, give examples when they drank a generic drug for years - and everything was fine, and they do not want to overpay. Who is right - one or the other? It is hardly possible to give an unambiguous answer. But it is vitally important to do a blood test on a regular basis, "controlling" how the medicine works on a particular body system.
This is why you shouldn't so replace your drugs. But if it is necessary (for example, "your" drug has disappeared from pharmacies), be sure to discuss it with your doctor first.