Brand name vs. Generic - Benzos

[Popster]

Your posting of your experiment......
I will be looking forward to reading it.

Your input is appreciated. And I agree, it may all be in my head next month that brand is better, or I may find it to be equal and save my money and go back to genetic.

[jimtje]

My main gripe with Mylans is that they taste like ass in case you accidentally taste it. Ass might be too kind of a word for it.

Also, under 21 CFR 314.92, what they look for is "identical in active ingredient(s), dosage form, strength, route of administration, and conditions of use, except that conditions of use for which approval cannot be granted because of exclusivity or an existing patent may be omitted." Quality of the pills themselves sometimes aren't great.

Up to you though. They do work generally the same, except the tasting like ass and sometimes chalkier and rubs off part. Curiously there's also nothing specific about even distribution of active ingredients meaning that all your active ingredients could theoretically (but probably not really) be on one side of the pill.

Mostly though, it's just that sometimes I taste the Mylans and I wanted Wal-Mart to give me a refund.

[IceWizard]

I don't know much about generics vs name ... But I do know that the Watson Somas were a lot better than anything else ... Wow ... Maybe it was different fillers, whatever the difference, it was one ...

It may be "different streaks for different freaks" .. What I think does the job, you might not ... Best way to tell is "try it yourself" and decide which one is right for you ...

[Popster]

Everyone is making good points on this subject
Kittycat's observation of "kick" in time is one of fact.......

Although the chemical formula's of all alps are very similar there are two very pronounced characteristics to brand name alps that are important to know and research.

1. time of onset (or as kitty put it) kick in time....this can vary from brand to brand, but not by very much.....an hour's difference does exist between some brands. To quote "Alprazolam has a fast onset of action and symptomatic relief. Ninety percent of peak effects are achieved within the first hour of using either the CT formulation or the XR formulation in preparation for panic disorder, and full peak effects are achieved in 1.5 and 1.6 hours respectively."

2. the 1/2 life.......this is the time ( in terms of hours) the med remains in your body (just double the 1/2 life to get the full reading on how long the med is in your system). This is a whole different matter, because the variance in time the med is in your body between brand names of similar meds can be huge. For example: the 1/2 life of Xanax is between 6-20 hours, the 1/2 life of Clonazepam (Rivotril) is between 18-39 hours.

for me, I like a fast onset time and a short 1/2 life.......this gives me the most control over how I use it and how I lose it.

these two point are well worth being knowledgeable about if your using benzos (all info on this is easily found on the web)  



researchbr

What I noticed than anything with xanax vs generic alp is not the overall affect, but how the med kicks in. I find that the brand name hit me faster and more all at once.  That is about the only difference.

[Zander]

You aren't arguing with me, Daggar. You're arguing with the FDA. The FDA doesn't state where they are manufactured but that generics must be identical to brand names regarding active ingredients,  be identical in strength, dosage form, and route of administration. Many, many products sold in the U.S. are produced overseas now due to cheap labor cost but still must adhere to the U.S. governing agencies to be sold in the U.S. This is most true with the FDA. Also these manufactures don't have to just deal with the FDA's strictly enforced standards, if the drug is not exactly as advertised they would be targets for multitudes of lawsuits. As far as most generics being produces in India:

Two-thirds of the value of medicines produced globally is accounted for by firms with headquarters in just five countries - the USA, Japan, Germany, France and the UK. Production is also concentrated in a few key products and in a relatively small number of companies, which often have factories and offices in many countries.

But you know whatever floats your boat. I've had prescriptions to brand name Pfizer Xanax and I've had prescriptions for different generics and personally could not tell the difference. To some it's as Popster said, physiological. If someone truly believes a product is superior, then it will be superior in their minds.

Are generic drugs really the same quality as the name brands?

Peter OrszagPeter Orszag, Economist, Vice Chair at Citi & Columnist at BloombergView

The price for name brand drugs can often be more than twice as much as a generic version, yet they have the same active ingredient. A recent study by Matthew Gentzkow of the University of Chicago found that physicians and pharmacists tend to go for the generic versions, decisions that are presumably well-informed. This leads us to believe that generic drugs, generally, are of the same quality as name brands.

The British Medical Journal, however, published a report in 1981 that found that branding on drugs had an effect on headache relief - a placebo effect. Having conviction in a brand can increase the effect...with aspirin, anyway. Similar studies have found the same results for antihistamines and some blood-pressure medication.

Psychology is at play in many health-care settings.

If you've used Bayer aspirin since your parents gave it to you, and it costs five cents more, is it worth it? It might be, if you believe Bayer works better.

[andybones]

Food for thought.

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/02/2...-patients/

http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/teva-y...2012-10-04


"That may seem reassuring, but it is quite clear that the FDA has not had the resources to regularly monitor manufacturing abroad."

[andybones]

The FDA still states on its website that:

“All generic manufacturing, packaging, and testing sites must pass the same quality standards as those of brand name drugs, and the generic products must meet the same exacting specifications as any brand name product.”

That may seem reassuring, but it is quite clear that the FDA has not had the resources to regularly monitor manufacturing abroad.

[Zander]

Andy if you're talking about buying a medication in the U.S. with a valid prescription from a licensed  pharmacy, there is absolutely no difference. The generics must contain the exact same amount the of active ingredient. This is regulated by the FDA and and strictly enforced. If the generics do not contain the exact same amount of active ingredient, the FDA would shut them down.

From the FDA:

What standards do generic drugs have to meet?

Health professionals and consumers can be assured that FDA approved generic drugs have met the same rigid standards as the innovator drug. To gain FDA approval, a generic drug must:

   contain the same active ingredients as the innovator drug(inactive ingredients may vary)
   be identical in strength, dosage form, and route of administration
   have the same use indications
   be bioequivalent
   meet the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity, and quality
   be manufactured under the same strict standards of FDA's good manufacturing practice regulations required for innovator products



http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou...100100.htm

---

If the government said it, it must be true.

---

If the government said it, it must be true.

Well since your anti-government I guess if the government said it, then it must not be true in your mind. I'm not pro or anti-government. There are many things about this government I don't agree with. Having said that, I am very thankful we have an agency such as the FDA that not only keeps watch over the prescription medications we consume, but OTCs and the foods we consume as well. Without the FDA anyone could sell products with just whatever ingredients they choose, and many people would die as a result.

I'm done here.

Cheers!

[andybones]

Teva has a history of not keeping its products equivalent. It may have met FDA standards at first, that's fact. But here is fact that they haven't kept up with this standard.

http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/teva-y...2012-10-04

---

Andy if you're talking about buying a medication in the U.S. with a valid prescription from a licensed  pharmacy, there is absolutely no difference. The generics must contain the exact same amount the of active ingredient. This is regulated by the FDA and and strictly enforced. If the generics do not contain the exact same amount of active ingredient, the FDA would shut them down.

From the FDA:

What standards do generic drugs have to meet?

Health professionals and consumers can be assured that FDA approved generic drugs have met the same rigid standards as the innovator drug. To gain FDA approval, a generic drug must:

   contain the same active ingredients as the innovator drug(inactive ingredients may vary)
   be identical in strength, dosage form, and route of administration
   have the same use indications
   be bioequivalent
   meet the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity, and quality
   be manufactured under the same strict standards of FDA's good manufacturing practice regulations required for innovator products



http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou...100100.htm

---

If the government said it, it must be true.

---

If the government said it, it must be true.

Well since your anti-government I guess if the government said it, then it must not be true in your mind. I'm not pro or anti-government. There are many things about this government I don't agree with. Having said that, I am very thankful we have an agency such as the FDA that not only keeps watch over the prescription medications we consume, but OTCs and the foods we consume as well. Without the FDA anyone could sell products with just whatever ingredients they choose, and many people would die as a result.

I'm done here.

Cheers!

Your input is appreciated. But I didn't make this thread to argue about the FDA. Rather those with experiences with brand vs. generic. 

[Zander]

My apologies Andy. My intent was to find information which I thought you would find useful and post it, not argue. I will say I did not start the argument, and I unlike someone else, I will respect your wishes.  I did share my experiences when I posted:

"I've had prescriptions to brand name Pfizer Xanax and I've had prescriptions for different generics and personally could not tell the difference."

The best thing to do is as you plan and try it yourself. I am eager to read your opinion.

Popster, you sure got that right! Thankfully this site has and ignore feature, which I finally got a chance to put to use. =)

G'night All.