Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 1, 2019 | Page 23

Get more value with
Generic medicines are up to 80% cheaper than
brand-name versions. Using generic medicine
is a simple and effective way to make your
benefits last longer and get more value for
money. However, the fact that generics are so
cheap, can sometimes make consumers doubt
whether they are buying an inferior or less
effective product.
Generics are exact copies
Generic medicines contain the exact same ingredients as
brand-name medicines. In fact, generic equivalents are
identical to brand-name medicines in terms of strength,
dosage, intended use, side effects and the way in which
themedicine needs to be taken. While generic medicines
are exact copies in terms of composition, they may differ
in terms of their look and packaging. This is because
inactive ingredients such as colouring, fillers and coatings
may be different, so generic drugs often look different
from branded versions.
Regulation to ensure safety
In South Africa, the Medicines Control Council employs a
team of doctors, scientists and pharmacists who check
generics to ensure their safety, quality and efficacy.
The beauty of generics is that they are so much more
affordable, putting them within reach of people who
would not normally be able to buy the original medicine.
Why are generics so much cheaper?
The difference in price has to do with the different costs
pharmaceutical companies have in bringing generics and
brand-name drugs to the pharmacy shelf. Making a new
medicine is expensive. A manufacturer's costs for the
launch of a new drug include money for research, large-
scale testing as well as advertising and marketing.
New brand-name medicines are given patent protection
when they are first sold. The patent gives pharmaceutical
managers exclusive rights to produce and sell the
medicine for a specific period of time. The average time
a brand-name drug is protected by the patent after it
hits the market is 12 years. When the patent ends, other
companies are allowed to make and sell a generic version.
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