What's New

In this tight economy, Oregonians are looking for ways to cut waste from their family budgets. One good place to look for savings is the medicine cabinet. You can lower your drug costs while getting the same benefits by using generic drugs.

Prescription drugs are important because they help people with medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. But as the cost of medications increase, many people worry about whether they can afford to pay for all their prescriptions. Generic drugs can help you improve your health and spend less money.

Brief Overview

Generic drugs are a lower cost version of brand name drugs. Generic drugs have the same medicine as the brand name version, but they have a slightly different name and look.

Effectiveness:  Generic drugs work just as well as the brand-name version. Generics are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which makes sure they are equal to brand-name drugs in safety, strength, quality, and performance.

Safety:  Generic drugs have been around much longer than the newer, brand-name drugs you see in advertisements. Millions of people have taken them for a long time. This means that more is known about generics’ safety and side effects. Newer, brand-name drugs have more unknown risks because fewer people have used them. So it can be hard to know what their long-term effects are and if they have dangerous side effects.

Affordability: Generic drugs are much less expensive than brand-name drugs. Many cost only $4 a month at certain chain stores, or $10 for a three month supply. Generics cost less than brand names because many different companies make them. The competition among these companies drives down the price. Using generic drugs saves money and helps keep health care affordable for people who don’t have insurance that covers the cost of their medicine.

Availability: Generic drugs help millions of Americans stay healthy and save money. Generics are available for almost every type of drug and for almost all medical conditions. In fact, two out of three medications prescribed by doctors are generic drugs.

Talking with your doctor: Your doctor is there to help you if you have questions about your medicine or if you are concerned about its cost. A generic drug is the most cost effective option in most cases. But there are some special medical conditions where a generic drug is not yet available or where brand-name drug might be the better treatment for you. Ask your doctor if a generic drug is right for you.