Where can one obtain reliable information about drugs?

Where can one obtain reliable information about drugs?

Is there a reliable website FDA recommends? Try the websites www.drugs.com/fda-consumer/ or MedlinePlus. Drugs.com is designed for both consumers and health professionals. The site features FDA Consumer Update articles, videos, and slideshows.

Where can I find medication information?

Drugs@FDA is a Web site where you can search for official information about United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved brand name and generic drugs. It is a catalog of FDA approved drug products.

What is the best source of drug information?

The three most reliable sources in every age group were reported to be PILs, doctors and pharmacists. Nurses, drug regulatory authorities, drug information leaflets and medicine guides and books were considered next most reliable.

Can you request non generic medication?

YES. By law, the pharmacist has to fill the prescription the way it’s written, so if the doctor writes “Do not substitute,” that will be honored. But keep in mind that generic drugs go through rigorous testing and are as effective and safe as the brand-name original.

Why do doctors not prescribe generic medicine?

The major reason why doctors may not prescribe unbranded generic medicine is the lack of confidence of physician and patients in their quality4. Aggressive promotion of branded generic medicines by the pharmaceutical companies further aggravates the problem.

Are generic drugs less effective?

Are generic drugs less effective? No. Generic medications are just as effective as brand-name drugs. According to the FDA, drug makers must prove that generic medications can be substituted for brand-name drugs and offer the same benefits as their brand-name counterparts.

Are generic drugs really the same?

A generic drug is a medication created to be the same as an existing approved brand-name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, and performance characteristics. A generic medicine works in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as its brand-name version.

Can generic drugs work differently?

Generic medicines and brand-name medicines share the same active ingredient, but other characteristics, such as colors and flavorings, that do not affect the performance, safety, or effectiveness of the generic medicine, may be different.

Why are generic drugs not as effective?

This may be due to how the generic medication is produced or the type and amount of inactive materials present in the medication. For some people, these slight differences may cause the drug to be less effective or lead to side effects.

How do you know if a medication is generic?

Generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs that have exactly the same dosage, intended use, effects, side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original drug. In other words, their pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their brand-name counterparts.

Is branded medicine better than generic?

Pros: Quality: Generic drugs are exact copies of their brand name counterparts. Cost: They are usually much cheaper than branded ones. Availability: Because many manufacturers have access to the ingredients list of a drug, it is more widely available.

Why generic drugs are better?

Generic drugs benefit from a reduction in upfront research costs. Brand-name drugs have to go through expensive animal and clinical studies to prove their safety and efficacy. Generic drugs use the same active ingredients that the branded drugs carried out testing for, so they do not have to conduct the same testing.

How safe are generic drugs?

The FDA requires a generic drug to meet standards that ensure it’s the same basic product as the brand-name drug. That means the generic drug is safe and can be taken: The same way as a brand-name drug. For the same reason as a brand-name drug.

Why do doctors prescribe brand name drugs?

Brand names are the names doctors most easily remember. Drug samples left in physicians’ offices — seemingly a free gift for doctors to dispense and patients to receive — make them more memorable.

Are brand name drugs better?

“Brand-name medications are not always better. Many of them are highly expensive,” says Dr. Choudhry. As a result of this high cost, some people may skip doses or not take a drug at all because they just can’t afford it.

Why do brand name drugs cost more?

Brand-name drugs are typically more expensive because of the higher initial costs to develop, market, and sell a brand-new drug. A pharmaceutical company that develops a brand-name drug will file for a patent that prohibits other manufacturers from producing and selling the medication for a set time period.

Why do doctors prescribe expensive medications?

Typically lower in cost and as effective as their branded counterparts, they help control pharmacy spending and increase access to important therapies for patients who could be deterred by the high cost of some branded drugs.

Can a doctor prescribe medication without seeing a patient?

The answer is no – you must see a doctor to get a prescription. However, that doesn’t always mean that you have to make a trip to the doctor’s office.