What are generic drugs?

Most patients know that generic medications are a cheaper alternative to buying brand-name ones. However, not everyone knows that the distinction between generic and brand-name medications is legal rather than medical. In simple words, a medication is "generic" when it is made by companies other than the company that first developed it. In the U.S., this means that several years have passed since the development of the drug, and the original company has lost its exclusive manufacturing rights. In India patent laws are more flexible. In any case, generic medications cannot be sold under the original brand name, which is still legally reserved for the original company. Instead, they are given the chemical or generic name. So, for instance, a package of generic Viagra would say "Sildenafil" instead of "Viagra". For similar reasons, generic medications might also look different -- they might have different colors, different texts printed on the pill, etc. Inside, however, it is the same drug. Other frequently asked questions : What are generics? Whats the difference? What does it look like? How is it shipped Shipping times Returns FAQ