Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Generic Drugs Can Help Reduced Medical Expenses

Why would anyone not take a prescribed drug? Many senior adults on a fixed income say they can't afford it. Some say medicine is so expensive they only buy it every other month. Prescription drugs are an expensive part of health care.

Medicare does not pay for outpatient drug expenses. Only three of the ten Medigap plans offer prescription coverage and all charge a 50 percent co-payment after a $250 deductible. The cost of these three Medigap plans is relatively high, and out-of-pocket drug expenses can still threaten financial security of seniors. Some lawmakers are in favor of strengthening Medicare to help cover drug costs, but changes have yet to be made.

Consumers can lower out-of-pocket expenses for medicine. Pharmacists are allowed by law to substitute less expensive generic drugs for many brand-name products. You may save 25 to 80 percent on the cost of prescription and non-prescription medicines.

Many consumers don't ask for generic drugs, because they don't understand the difference between generic and brand names. Lynn Russell, family resource management specialist, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas, can help:

The major differences are name and price. A generic drug is called by its chemical name; a brand-name drug carries a trademark that only one company can use.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all generic drugs to have the same active ingredients and dosage as the brand name version and be absorbed and used by the body in exactly the same way. Variations are allowed only in things that should not affect the safety or effectiveness of the drug, such as inactive ingredients, coloring and shape.

Not all drugs come in generic form. Brand name drugs may be patented for 17 years so only that brand of drug is on the market.

Generic drugs may be both prescription and non-prescription or "over the counter."

A physician may not prescribe a generic drug because a patient could be allergic to a certain inactive ingredient or dye.

Brand name and generic drugs may look different, because they are packaged differently or have a different color or shape. And they may not taste the same.

You have the right to request the generic version of a prescribed drug. You also may refuse a generic substitution.

Generics cost less, because less money is spent on advertising, promoting, marketing, researching and developing the drug. Several generic drugs producers may compete to lower prices.

Generic drugs are safe. The FDA requires them to meet the standards for safety, efficacy and proper manufacturing processes.

The Food and Drug Administration has a toll free hotline to answer questions about drug safety. Call 1-800-532-4440. You also can visit the FDA at www.fda.gov  click on Human Drugs.'

For more preventive health education contact the Clark County Cooperative Extension office at Fifth and Clay Streets in Arkadelphia.