{"id":2170,"date":"2009-07-29T13:10:00","date_gmt":"2009-07-29T18:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthnews.nchealthplans.com\/?p=2170"},"modified":"2010-06-16T12:59:56","modified_gmt":"2010-06-16T17:59:56","slug":"questions-and-answers-about-generic-drugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/2009\/07\/questions-and-answers-about-generic-drugs\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions and Answers About Generic Drugs"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

How generic versions of drugs are developed
\n<\/strong>When new drugs are developed, manufacturers obtain a patent,
\nwhich prevents other pharmaceutical companies from producing
\nthe same drug for a certain period of time. When the patent
\nexpires, drug manufacturers can apply to the U.S. Food and Drug
\nAdministration (FDA) for permission to make a generic version of
\nthe drug, without having to repeat the clinical trials and research
\nperformed by the drug\u2019s original manufacturer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Why generic drugs are cheaper
\n<\/strong>Generic drugs are less expensive than brand-name drugs
\nbecause manufacturers don\u2019t have to pay the research,
\ndevelopment, marketing and promotion costs that the original
\nmanufacturer did in bringing the new drug to the market place.
\nThe average price for a generic drug is 30 to 80 percent less
\nthan its brand-name equivalent. That means savings for you.<\/p>\n

Generic drugs are regulated by the FDA, just like brand-name
\ndrugs. And the FDA requires that the generic version have the
\nsame active ingredients, strength and dosage form (pill, injection
\nor liquid). Every generic drug must undergo a scientific review of
\nits ingredients and performance. The FDA also inspects generic
\ndrug manufacturing plants and monitors drug quality.<\/p>\n

Why generics look different:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the U.S., trademark laws do not allow generic drugs to look
\nexactly like the brand-name drug. However, the generic drug
\nmust have the same active ingredients. Colors, flavors and
\ncertain other inactive ingredients may be different, but these
\nthings don\u2019t affect the way the drug works.<\/p>\n

Why generics usually have a different name
\n<\/strong>Brand names are created by the original manufacturer, while
\ngeneric drugs are often called the chemical name of the
\nmedication\u2019s active ingredient.<\/p>\n

How you can switch to generics<\/strong>
\nTell your doctor that you are interested in using generic drugs.
\nYour doctor should specify on a prescription that a generic may
\nbe substituted for a brand-name drug. If you are already taking
\na brand-name drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist if a generic
\nversion is available. Not all brand-name drugs have generic
\nequivalents, especially new drugs. However if you are already
\ntaking a brand-name drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist if a
\ngeneric version is available and right for you.<\/p>\n

Source: U.S. Food and Drug administration, 2008. www.fda.gov\/buyonlineguide\/generic_text.htm
\n(Accessed February 2009).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina<\/a>\u00a0and how to utilize My Member Services, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com<\/a> or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). <\/a>You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How generic versions of drugs are developed When new drugs are developed, manufacturers obtain a patent, which prevents other pharmaceutical companies from producing the same drug for a certain period of time. When the patent expires, drug manufacturers can apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permission to make a generic version […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[23,152,341,177],"class_list":["post-2170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bcbsnc-insurance","tag-bcbsnc","tag-blue-cross-blue-shield-of-nc","tag-fda","tag-generic-drugs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2170"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2914,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2170\/revisions\/2914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}