Save Money with Generic Drugs
by BC Doan on May 08, 2008 with 22 Comments
Prescription drugs are expensive to fill and knowing your options will save money and keep you healthy at the same time.
A generic drug is a copy of a brand name drug with the same active ingredients. It is safe, and available at a lower price. The only difference between brand name drug and generic drug is color, or shape.
The Food and Drug Administration requires the same quality, strength, purity and stability in generic drugs as in brand names. If you have prescriptions fill, you know how expensive they are. Ask for generic drugs since they can save you a bundle.
Before deciding on these choices though, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor to determine your individual medical needs.
Here is a list of five common brand name drugs that you should consider switching to generic drugs.
Acid-reflux and heartburn treatment
If you are taking Prilosec oral for frequent heartburn, ask your doctor about Omeprazole. It could save you at least $130 per month.
Sleep Agents
Ambien CR can be supplemented by Zolpidem. You will save roughly around $100 per month.
Antidepressants
If you are on Prozac, talk to your doctor about Fluoxetine, or if you are on Paxil CR ask for Paroxetine, and if you are on Zoloft mention about Sertraline. The saving can be around $90 a month.
Non-sedating Antihistamines (NSAs)
Taking Allegra and Allegra-D, ask about Fexofenadine, and if you are on Clarinex, ask for Loratadine or Loratadine-D OTC, Your saving is about $70 a month.
Cholesterol-reducing Statins
Discuss this with your doctor if you are on Mevacor, ask him/her about Lovastatin, or if you are on Zocor for Simvastatin, and if you are on Pravachol for Pravastatin. You will have a saving of $90 per month.
The prices in this article are just estimation, and they depend on what drugstore you go to or where you live.
Prescription drugs are expensive to fill and knowing your options will save money and keep you healthy at the same time. Generic drugs come in place to help people with the high costs of brand names.
If you are currently on prescription medicine, you can go to US Food and Drug Administration to look up for approved generic brands. You can also search on WebMD.
Nevertheless, your practitioner should be informed and approved about these choices.
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Published in: Consumer Information
salvatore | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Icy.. You really hit the nail on the head with this one. I agree with you 100% on this one. Coming from South Africa, not having any goverment benefits like the rest of the world,in order to save your medical aid, where you pay a arm a leg for, it is better to go for the generic medicine, if it does the job why not.
Well done.
lanne | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Great article Icy! A couple of years back I had several surgeries that I had to take pain meds and several other drugs for. Like Salvadore, we don`t have a prescription drug plan, so the generic medications were a life saver. Nice work here.
b. radley | May 8, 2008 | Reply
wow…that is ALOT of money we could be saving each month….thanks for this very informative article.
Moses Ingram | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Good article and practical advice.
Josey | May 8, 2008 | Reply
I used to work at a pharmacy while in school and I couldn’t believe the difference in price. You are so right.
nobert soloria bermosa | May 8, 2008 | Reply
very timely, everything is going up,nice alternative solution,
generic drugs law had long been implemented here but still a lot of people are not aware on the difference bet.gen. and branded.
thanks
CHAN LEE PENG | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Thanks Icy. Take care!
valli | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Great article, Icy.
Dee Huff | May 8, 2008 | Reply
What a good article Icy.
C A Johnson | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Great article, Icy. I think this list would be very helpful for people who want to save money. Generic drugs are cheaper and would probably work just like the brand names.
Jie T. Elins | May 8, 2008 | Reply
Thanks, this is great info for people like me who have no insurance. I would also like to add that you should look into different stores to see how much they charge for their generics. They can mark the price up as much as they want, and some do mark it up a lot, but others keep the price low. You can actually call around before you get your prescription filled to find the cheaper stores.
KathySpring | May 9, 2008 | Reply
Great Job Icy….I’m glad to see you posted, about seeing the doctor…I have use synthroid…and though I’m covered with insurance…the plan changed and they tried to switch me to generic…and would have except…my doctor started writing no generic on the prescription so the insurance has to cover than and no generic…without doctors special words though I would have to get generic…Thanks Icy another great article….Keep it up…Keep it up..
Kathy
twisted shroomz81 | May 9, 2008 | Reply
I’ve worked on a pharmaceutical industry before and I Love your article!
tracy sardelli | May 9, 2008 | Reply
excellent article, very informative, i had no idea. thank you so much for sharing.
Anne Lyken-Garner | May 9, 2008 | Reply
Great article and practical even here in the UK. I make sure that the drugs prescribed by our GP aren’t available in any other form (or cheaper over the counter) before I pay for them.
Darlene McFarlane | May 9, 2008 | Reply
Great article. When I take my prescriptions into my pharmacy they give generic (if available) without me having to ask. It’s their policy to help keep our cost down. I even had the pharmacist apologize once when the generic brand wasn’t available.
Very informative article.
Alexa Gates | May 10, 2008 | Reply
very informative article Icy
the only thing i dont’ like about Generic drugs (this is coming from my dad) is that if they don’t work you have no one to complain/sue. Even though it’s great to save money 
louie jerome | May 10, 2008 | Reply
|Excellent article Icy
Rachel | May 10, 2008 | Reply
What a great option. With prices of food, fuel and everything else going up, this will be a great savings, especially if taken for a period of time.
Lucy Lockett | May 11, 2008 | Reply
It pays to be aware and informed, thanks.
Shaun Ashcroft | May 12, 2008 | Reply
Move over Dr Phil, Dr Icy rules!
Judy Sheldon | May 18, 2008 | Reply
Icy, I too have worked for a doctor’s office, and in a pharmacy, so am aware that the generic brand is generally the same exact thing except for the name imprinted on the pills, the color or the shape. People are being conned by advertisers to believe that name brand is better, and then we have the pros and cons of natural remedies also. Why should we pay hundreds a year extra so that pharmaceutical companies can take the doctor’s staff out to lunch?