Comments on: How to save on health-care costs now–instead of waiting for the government http://www.familydoctormag.com/blog/2008/11/save-on-health-care-costs-now-instead-of-waiting-for-the-government/ Tips from health-care professionals on healthy living, medical controversies, personal growth and more. From James Hubbard's My Family Doctor Magazine. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:20:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. http://www.familydoctormag.com/blog/2008/11/save-on-health-care-costs-now-instead-of-waiting-for-the-government/#comment-1028 James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:43:26 +0000 http://www.familydoctormag.com/blog/?p=1422#comment-1028 Only if the brand name is in a slow-release form and the generic is not. If that is the case, then the generic should not be substituted as equivalent. For instance, the blood pressure medicine Calan 120 mg (brand name) is essentially equivalent to verapamil 120 mg (generic), but Calan SR (slow release) is released more slowly and taken less often, so it is equivalent to verapamil sr and not plain verapamil. The other difference is that oral generics can be within 20 percent either way for absorbtion, so you can get 20 percent less or 20 more of the active drug. Fortunately that is ok in almost all drugs since the dosage for most treatments is not exact anyway. Common infections is a good example. However, it could potentially be a problem in medicines that have a more exact treatment, such as thyroid and certain heart medicines. Your provider could answer that for you, and probably would put "brand name only" on the prescription if that is a question. Thanks Only if the brand name is in a slow-release form and the generic is not. If that is the case, then the generic should not be substituted as equivalent.
For instance, the blood pressure medicine Calan 120 mg (brand name) is essentially equivalent to verapamil 120 mg (generic), but Calan SR (slow release) is released more slowly and taken less often, so it is equivalent to verapamil sr and not plain verapamil.

The other difference is that oral generics can be within 20 percent either way for absorbtion, so you can get 20 percent less or 20 more of the active drug. Fortunately that is ok in almost all drugs since the dosage for most treatments is not exact anyway. Common infections is a good example. However, it could potentially be a problem in medicines that have a more exact treatment, such as thyroid and certain heart medicines.

Your provider could answer that for you, and probably would put “brand name only” on the prescription if that is a question.

Thanks

]]> By: DR http://www.familydoctormag.com/blog/2008/11/save-on-health-care-costs-now-instead-of-waiting-for-the-government/#comment-1024 DR Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:19:01 +0000 http://www.familydoctormag.com/blog/?p=1422#comment-1024 Great advice as usual. I have a question for you about generic drugs. Personally, I have always gone that route to save money. However, I read a newspaper article over the weekend that said that (unknown to me) there are often differences between the 'brand name" and the generic option. The article said that in one case, the generic brand dissolved quicker than the brand name, resulting in quicker absorption of the drug. Instead of a gradual release, there was a big spike and then a trough. Have you heard of this? <abbr><em>DRs last blog post..<a href="http://healthhabits.wordpress.com/2008/11/08/squidoo-lens-toxic-fat/" rel="nofollow">Squidoo Lens: TOXIC FAT</a></abbr></em> Great advice as usual.

I have a question for you about generic drugs.

Personally, I have always gone that route to save money. However, I read a newspaper article over the weekend that said that (unknown to me) there are often differences between the ‘brand name” and the generic option.

The article said that in one case, the generic brand dissolved quicker than the brand name, resulting in quicker absorption of the drug. Instead of a gradual release, there was a big spike and then a trough.

Have you heard of this?

DRs last blog post..Squidoo Lens: TOXIC FAT

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