Physicians Prescribing GDs

Generic Medicine

Last year was the tremendous growth period for the sale of the generic drugs (GDs). The rise in increase of the prescription of the generic drugs was observed all over the world. Because of the lots of the pressure from the insurers, customers, and the government, finally physicians have started giving the generic drugs as the prescription drugs. Also, doctors have now understood that generic drugs are absolutely safe and have started prescribing them.

Previously, generic drugs were considered as the inferior quality drugs and were not taken by the customers. Everybody was thinking that generic drugs were the duplicate drugs and were not safe for the human intake. Some rumors were also made that generic drugs were the drugs that were used by the animals and should not be taken as they cause severe side effects. But, like the lotus grows in the foggy water and still is the best, the same thing coincided with the generic drugs; and soon after the approval from the Food and Drug Administration, generic drugs became the favorite choice of the customer to combat the various diseases.

Sterling was the first company in the history of the pharmacy to manufacture the generic drugs. Sterling manufactured the first generic drug for the Aspirin and brought to market with the cheap price than the original branded Aspirin manufactured by the Bayer. Case was filed by the Bayer against the Sterling for copying their formulation and manufacturing the inferior quality drug that was harmful to the customers. Sterling won the case as it showed that it was not using the same formulation, and the generic drug it produced was showing same effects as the brand name drugs. Hence, the generic drug became available in the market for the consumers and the demand started growing. Generic drugs soon became the favorite choice of the customer over the branded drugs because of the considerable low cost.

The manufacturers were able to sell the generic drugs at low cost because of the competition when the drug is no longer protected by the patents. The other reasons for the low cost of generic drugs are no investment is done in the research of the generic drugs as it is already done by the original branded manufacturer, the generic drugs manufacturer only has to follow the formulation of the brand drug manufacturer. Generic drug companies receive the benefit of the marketing and advertising effects put by the brand-name drug companies. Thus, generic drug saves the lots of money of the generic drug manufacturing companies as well as of the customers.

Generic drugs also saved the lot of money of the insurers as they need to invest very less amount of money as the generic drugs were very cheap in comparison to the branded drugs. Health insurers then started forcing the doctors to prescribe the generic drugs. Generic drugs save an amazing two-thirds off the cost of a typical branded prescription, or about $700 a year. Some of the savings passes through to consumers, but the bulk of it helps health insurers. Insurance companies said that they are following legitimate medical protocol which explains that the step therapy procedure should be followed by the doctor. Step therapy is a procedure in which doctors should first prescribe the generic drugs and if these drugs fail to produce the required effect then they should prescribe the more expensive brand-name drugs. Government is also very happy with the use of generic drugs by the customers as it is allowing the government to save its money and the investment in the pharmaceutical sector. Physicians understood that the generic drugs are the choice of the new generation and thus started prescribing the generic drugs.