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Generic Drugs: Affordable Alternatives
Consumers spend billions of dollars yearly on prescription drugs. Each and every one of us has faced "sticker shock" when we have gone to get a prescription filled. That shock is magnified if we don't have insurance, or if prescription drug benefits are not part of the program we have.
Generic drugs, frequently a fraction of the cost of their brand name counterparts, are helping to alleviate some of those costs. This is terrific news for people on fixed incomes and the elderly, who often must take multiple expensive medications daily to maintain their health. But because the perception that "generic" somehow means "lesser quality," this terrific news has been slow to catch on.
The reality is, the strict quality standards required for brand name drugs by the Food and Drug Administration apply equally to generic drugs. Costly research and development are the primary reasons that brand name drugs are more expensive. But 20 years after any new drug has been patented, other companies are allowed to bring the drugs' generic equivalent to market, as long as they prove to the FDA that their safety and effectiveness measures up to the original. Once a generic drug meets the FDA's standards, the agency stands behind it 100 percent.
GENERIC DRUGS: Affordable Alternatives will help both medical professionals and consumers make informed choices about the medications necessary to maintain a healthy life. Factual, accurate information about generic drugs will show that you can achieve significant savings with their use, while assuring safety and effectiveness. This TV special was created for FOX's The Health Network and is co-hosted by Stephen Schondelmeyer, Ph.D., Director of the PRIME Institute.
This 30-minute documentary program is produced by ITV as part of its award-winning series, THE CUTTING EDGE MEDICAL REPORT, and is made possible by unrestricted educational grants from Bedford Laboratories, Apotex Corporation, MOVA Laboratories, Dey, L.P. and the National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.
For information on air dates and times, or to order a VHS copy of the program, call 1-888-380-6500.
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