Sick and tired of high drug costs? You're not alone. Americans spend more than 150 billion dollars per year on pharmaceuticals, and with costs rising all the time, many are looking to generic alternatives. These products promise the same benefits as their name-brand equivalents, but at a fraction of the cost. When considering something as important as your personal health, do generic drugs measure up?
Until now, we have been talking mostly about switching to the generic version of a brand drug when it becomes available. But there’s another way you can and should be taking advantage of generics. If you are taking a costly brand-name drug for a chronic illness, a generic of another drug in the same class may be available that would work just as well and cost less. Yes, your doctor may have prescribed the brand. And if he or she wants you to stay on it, you should. But many doctors prescribe newer medicines because those are the ones that get promoted.
We advise that you talk with your doctor about whether another less expensive medicine — a generic or cheaper brand — is available that would do just as good a job. In many classes of drugs these days, doctors and researchers are learning that the older medicines (now generics) work just as well as the new ones.
Bear in mind that pharmacists cannot switch you to a generic of another drug without your doctor’s permission. However, more and more pharmacists today are working with insurers, employers, doctors and patients to make these switches when they are appropriate.
If you lack insurance coverage for drugs, you have a special incentive to work with your doctor to choose the most affordable medicines. Switching to a generic may mean that you can pay for the drugs you need without financial hardship or strain.
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