One-third of Americans don't trust generics

um they are not identical! Generics are only required to be 80% bioequivalent to the branded med. It can be delivered, metabolized or dispersed differently than the brand. There have been studies done espeically with psychotics that show major fluctuations and therapeutic breakthroughs with generics vs. the branded. The fillers can be different as well. Being in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry I will take a brand over a generic ANY DAY!

Many generics are manufactured overseas (e.g., China). Think of what they did to dog-food and children's toys.

Many generics are manufactured overseas (e.g., China). Think of what they did to dog-food and children's toys.

Actually the OP is extremely accurate in his comments. What part dont you agree with? Or is simple humor the limit of your debating skills?

The bigger problem with generics among elderly patients is that there is no consistency with respect to shape, color and size of the generics month to month. I have witnessed this with my elderly relatives. Generics should be exactly the same with regard to shape, color and size every month as it confuses the patients receiving these drugs.

Isn't the bottom line of a medication its effect? If you're taking a medication for blood pressure, whether it is brand or generic, if it is controlling blood pressure then it is doing its job. Why pay $5 more for a brand that a generic does? I'd save the $5 for something else. And for many people, they take more that just 1 medication. IF you take 5 medication, going from brand to generic can save a lot of money for no difference in effect. The only time I'd take a brand medication is if they only come in brand and there are no generic alternative (the so called me-too drugs).

In actuality the FDA requires the bioequivalence of the generic product must be between 80% and 125% of that of the innovator product.

(Per Wikipedia) "This value range is part of a statistical calculation and does not mean that FDA lets generic drugs differ from the brand name counterpart by up to 45 percent. FDA recently evaluated 2,070 human studies conducted between 1996 and 2007. These studies compared the absorption of brand name and generic drugs into a person’s body. These studies were submitted to FDA to support approval of generics. The average difference in absorption into the body between the generic and the brand name was 3.5 percent and is comparable to differencies between two different batches of a brand drug. Bioequivalence, however, does not mean that generic drugs must be exactly the same (“pharmaceutical equivalent”) as their innovator product counterparts, as chemical differences may exist (different salt or ester – “pharmaceutical alternative”). A physician survey in the US found that only 17% of prescribing physicians correctly identified the USFDA's standards for bioequivalency of generic drugs."

So it appears to me that generics are NOT exactly the same as brand name drugs! When physicans don't check the "generic is approved" box on my prescription, it ticks me off that my insurance company tries to "strong arm" me into accepting a generic by making me pay more!! HEY, the Dr. doesn't want me to take it...accept that you morons (who are not Dr's!!)!!!