Generic Alternatives to Prescription Drugs , livre ebook

The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences of the author. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.
The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparations mentioned, the author and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.
Editor: Carol Rosenberg • Typesetting/Book Design: Gary A. Rosenberg Cover Design: Mike Stromberg
Basic Health Publications, Inc.
28812 Top of the World Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949-715-7327 • www.basichealthpub.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nitzki-George, Diane.
Generic alternatives to prescription drugs / Diane Nitzki-George.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-59120-579-1
1. Generic drugs. 2. Drugs—Generic substitution. I. Title.
RS55.2.N55 2003
615'.1—dc22
2003017261
Copyright © 2004 by Basic Health Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
A Note from the Author
Introduction
1. Getting the Terminology Straight
Brand Name versus Generic Name
Generic Name versus Generic Product
Over-the-Counter Drugs versus Prescription Drugs
Supplements and Herbs
2. Your Prescription Cost
Insurance Co-pay
Pharmacy Fees
The Cost of Drugs
3. The Steps to Managing Your Health
Seeking Professional Help
Understanding Your Diagnosis
What to Expect from Drugs
4. After You Swallow
Entrance to the Body
Movement
Chemical Changes
Removal
5. Taking Charge of Your Prescription
Reading a Prescription
When to Talk to Your Doctor
When to Talk to Your Pharmacist
Reporting a Problem
Discarding Old Drugs
6. Prescription Drug Summaries
How to Use the Drug Summaries
Cost-Comparison Symbols
Drug Summaries
7. Index of Drugs by Category and Class
8. Index of Combination Drugs
9. Summary of Tips and Additional Resources
About the Author
A Note from the Author
This book is for people who take prescription drugs. In addition to generic drug and pricing information, it includes helpful drug information that teaches people how to take their prescription drugs safely and effectively. But medicine is not an exact science. Although the science of medicine is predictable in most cases, do not be surprised if something unexpected happens. It is possible for people to have an unusual or unidentified response to their drug. Healthcare professionals, especially doctors, are trained to anticipate and respond to the unexpected. This is the reason that changing the dose of your prescription or giving someone else your prescription drug is unsafe. This book does not include all the information needed by healthcare professionals to safely prescribe and monitor patients who take prescription drugs. The information in this book is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure a disease. Instead, Generic Alternatives to Prescription Drugs is a reference to guide people toward making well informed and cost effective decisions about their prescription drugs.
Introduction
I
n 1967, a new definition for the word “generic” was recognized in the English language. The new definition was a product that did not have a brand name or trademark. Generic products became familiar to people through grocery stores. Stores carried their house brand in addition to other name brands of the same product type. These generic products may have been a little different from the original brand-name products although they were basically the same type of product. Sometimes the taste or texture was different. But despite their differences, generic products were well accepted and became associated with a less expensive alternative.
The same concept applies to drugs. A generic drug product has the same active ingredient as the original brand-name drug. The taste or texture may be a little different. But the generic product is almost always a less expensive alternative. The U.S. Congressional Budget Offices has estimated that generic drugs save consumers $8 to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies.
During the 1960s, several drug manufacturers began selling generic drug products to pharmacies. Many of these drugs were sold without the proper government paperwork that made sure the drug was safe and effective. Healthcare professionals challenged the reliability of generic drug products and were hesitant to dispense them. In the 1970s, the government began regulating generic drug products more closely to ensure that they were as effective as the original brand-name product.
It was not until 1985 that changes in government regulations were made to ensure that generic drug products met the same purity, quality, and potency standards required by the original brand-name drugs. All generic manufacturers must now submit a file to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that demonstrates the acceptability of their generic product.
As a consumer, finding out about generic drug products is not always easy. There are more than 600 prescription drugs sold through retail pharmacies in the United States. Many drugs come in different forms such as a tablet, liquid, or cream. Also, there can be more than one manufacturer for many of the drugs. The result is thousands of different drug products available by prescription. The pharmacy cannot stock every possible product, so the pharmacist decides which generic and brand-name products to carry.
What steps can you take to ensure you get the product you want? Generic Alternatives to Prescription Drugs will help guide you. It will provide insight into the availability of generic products and let you know if your prescription drug is available without a prescription at a lower strength. It also offers ideas on how you can speak with your doctor and pharmacist to be more involved in your prescription decisions. But most important, this book includes a brief summary of nearly 500 prescription drugs. It will give you an overview of substitutes that you can discuss with your doctor as possible alternatives to your prescription, and will allow you to assess whether the drug you are taking is doing what you expect or is causing side effects.
Having the knowledge to manage your prescription drug is very powerful. Aside from helping to optimize disease treatment, your involvement may result in fewer complications and greater savings.
Getting the Terminology Straight
I
n the United States, a drug can be sold only after it is reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is the regulating authority that establishes laws, standards, and guidelines to help keep the public safe. Aside from prescription drugs, the FDA also regulates cosmetics, food, food additives, herbs, supplements, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, medical devices, blood products, radiation-emitting appliances, and veterinary drugs. Their involvement provides a broad range of scrutiny over everything we consume.
The FDA has established minimum criteria that all foods and drugs must meet. These criteria vary according to the type of product to be sold. In general, foods, herbs, and supplements can be sold without notifying the FDA in advance. However, all drugs must meet rigid safety and efficacy criteria before they can be sold. Understanding how the products are grouped based on FDA criteria helps provide a common terminology and an appreciation for the similarities and differences between products. The term “generic” means much more than the dictionary describes.
BRAND NAME VERSUS GENERIC NAME
Just like with grocery-store products, drugs can be called by more than one name. For example, Kleenex can also be called Puffs, or facial tissues, and Tylenol can also be called APAP, or acetaminophen. One name defines the active drug ingredient, while the other is a brand or trade name. Trade names are specific to the company that makes the product, while all companies use the active drug ingredient name. In the pharmacy, the name of the active drug ingredient is also referred to as the generic name. For example, the generic name for Benadryl is diphenhydramine. Both of these names can be used to describe the same product, but the generic name may also apply to other products that contain the same active drug ingredient. The generic drug name is the reference name used by healthcare professionals for all interactions and clinical information, which makes it important for people to learn the generic names of their prescription drugs.
Generic drug names are not simple. Sometimes a drug has a one-word name, but many times a generic drug is called by a two-word name. For example, the generic drug called enalapril is actually enalapril maleate. The second word in the name is specific to the chemical structure of the drug (also known as the salt form) that allows the drug to be made into different product types, such as a liquid or a tablet. In casual conversation, the second word is often dropped from the generic name, but the full drug name may be an extremely important aspect of dosing. The dose of oral tablets and oral solutions is not always the same.
GENERIC NAME VERSUS GENERIC PRODUCT
The word “generic” has turned into a type of pharmacy sl