Generic Medications

Trademark laws in the United States do not allow the generic drugs to look exactly like the brand-name preparation, but the active ingredients must be the same in both preparations, ensuring that both have the same medicinal effects.

Note: Use our drug finder drug finder to learn more about your medications or to find the active ingredient of a name-brand medication.

The FDA requires that generic drugs work as fast and as effectively as the original brand-name products.

A generic drug, one used for hypertension, is metoprolol whereas a brand name for the same drug is Lopressor.

Generic drugs are currently estimated to save consumers at least $8 to 10 billion a year at retail pharmacies because they cost less than the brand name versions of the same product.

Physicians who treat people with epilepsy have also reported that some people have “breakthrough” seizures when switching from brand to generic versions of a drug - or among generics made by different manufacturers.