All prescription medication have two names, the brand name and the chemical or generic name. Regardless of what name it is called, they both contain the exact same amount of the active ingredient, have the same intended use, positive effects, side effects, risks and method of administration. The quality and purity are also identical between brand name and generic versions. Based on the research done by Pills2go, it seems the only significant difference is the price.
When a pharmaceutical company develops a new medication, they are granted a patent on it for a certain period of time, usually a number of years during which time they are the sole manufacturers of the particular medication. Manufacturers charge a premium for the product while it is still under patent to recoup the cost incurred in the research and development phase of the drug.
An example of this would be Viagra. This was originally discovered by Pfizer who hold the patent on it until 2011. This means that initially only Pfizer can manufacture and sell Viagra. However, when the patent runs out, any pharmaceutical company can manufacture it but will have to sell it under it's chemical name Sildenafil.
Many people are concerned because of the lower price of generic versions and wonder if the quality and effectiveness have been compromised but the reason for the lower price is because the companies manufacturing the generic version have not had the expense of bringing the drug to market. Another factor that influences the price is competition between manufacturers once the patent has run out and others are free to make the drug.
Generic medications are predominantly produced by multi national companies in well maintained facilities that have to adhere to the same strict quality standards as the brand name manufacturer and in many cases they are produced by the same company that originally developed the drug. It is estimated that approximately 50% of all generic medications are manufactured by the same company that initially developed the brand name drug at the same manufacturing facility.

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To summarize, all generic medications:
(a) Must contain the same active ingredients of the brand name version (inactive ingredients can vary);
(b) Must be a bioequivalent with the same use indications;
(c) Must be identical in strength, dosage and route of administration;
(d) Must meet the same requirements for purity and quality as the brand name counterpart;
(e) Must be manufactured under the same strict standards as the brand name version.

What are generic medications?
Generic medications are copies of brand name medications that are identical in Dosage, quality, strength, performance, intended use & route of administration.

Are generic medications as safe as brand name medications?
Yes. Generic medications contain the same active ingredient as their brand name versions, work in the same way and carry the same benefits and side effects.

Are generic medications as effective as brand name medications?
Yes. Generic medications are required to have the same quality, strength, purity and stability as their brand name counterparts.

Do generic medications take longer to start working?
No. Generic medications work in exactly the same way as the brand name versions.

Why are generic medications less expensive than brand name medications?
Generics are less expensive than their brand name counterparts because the manufacturer does not have the research and development costs associated with the medication. The innovator of the medication incurs the associated costs of first bringing it to market and has the sole manufacturing rights until the patent runs out. After the patent has run out, other pharmaceutical companies can manufacture a copy of the medication and therefore sell it at a greatly reduced price.

Are brand name medications made in more modern facilities than generic ones?
No. The manufacturing facilities for both generic and brand name medications are required to meet the same statutory quality and production standards. Regular checks of all pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are carried out to ensure compliance. It is estimated that up to 50% of all generics are manufactured by the same company that initially developed the brand name medication at the same manufacturing facility.

If generic and brand name medications have the same ingredients, why do they look different?
By law, generics are not allowed to look exactly like the brand name version of the drug. However, the active ingredients must be identical. Colors, flavours and other inactive additives can differ.

Does every brand name medication have a generic version?
No. Brand name drugs are generally granted a patent for up to 20 years. During this time, it is forbidden that any company within the legal juristiction to manufacture a generic version. This protects the innovator of the drug who incurred the costs associated with the research, development and marketing of the drug. However, when the patent runs out, other drug companies are free to manufacture a generic version at a reduced price.

UK and US land based and online pharmacies have the highest prescription medication prices in the world. The relative strenght of the pound/dollar and the free market based health system contributes to the extremely high prices and although most british and americans have health insurance, millions on floating or low income don't and often struggle to pay for the prescription medication they need. To highlight the difference in prices between domestic online pharmacies and foreign online pharmacies, Pills2go have compared the price of the worlds #1 selling prescription medication which is the cholesterol lowering medication, Lipitor (Atorvastatin).
www.drugstore.com, the US based online pharmacy will charge $295.95 for 100 x 10mg brand name Lipitor tablets but a generic version purchased at European online pharmacy, www.genericforyou.com will only cost the equivalent of $54 for 100 x 10mg tablets. Generic versions of brand name drugs are exactly the same with regard to dosage, use, strength, quality, performance and method of administration. The only real difference besides maybe the color or shape is the cost!

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European online pharmacies such as Genericforyou and the online pharmacies featured on Pills2go are typically prescription medications brokers that are associated with many of the worlds top pharmaceutical manufacturing companies based in Canada, Europe, India and South america. A large portfolio of trusted suppliers and a loyal global customer base that is continually growing allows online pharmacies such as Genericforyou to negotiate the best prices for both brand name and generic prescription medication and pass these savings on to their loyal worldwide customer base.
Prescription medication and natural supplements available through foreign online pharmacies are required by law to be manufactured to the same strict standards as brand name medications available from land based pharmacies with regular checks being carried out on facilities for compliance to international manufacturing best practices and quality standards.

Prescription medication prices in the UK and the US are currently the highest in the world and the pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable sector in the both economies. Research carried out by Pills2go suggests that the cost of manufacturing the medication isn't great but the cost of research, development, marketing and administration is what drives the prices to extortionate levels with the US and the UK which accounts for over 50% of the global research and development of new pharmaceutical medications. Prices of brand name medications in the UK/US are significantly higher than in Canada, Europe, India and South America where price controls are implemented such is the case in most countries/regions around the world.

This large difference in the price of prescription medication is the reason why an estimated $1 billion a year is spent by US citizens on medicaion from canadian pharmacies alone. US customs estimate that over 11 million americans bring prescription medications into the US through land borders and an estimated 5 million packages containing prescription medication arrive through the post annually. A few years ago, US citizens purchased their prescription medication from canadian pharmacies but these days consumers are increasingly shopping online from pharmacies based in Europe, India, the UK and South America where they can save anything up to 80% on US prices for generic medication and up to 40% on brand name medications.

Pharmaceutical companies around the world maintain that the high prices of prescription medication are necessary to continue funding the costs associated with the research and development of new medications with only about 10% of new medications actually making it to market. However, critics argue and Pills2go agree that a minority of expenditure goes towards research and development with a majority being spent on advertising and administration. The American Association of Retired Persons (AART) have published a number of studies suggesting that the price of prescription medication is rising a lot faster than the rate of inflation since the mid nineties

Buying in bulk
Big savings on the unit price of any prescription medication can be realised by buying larger quantities in the vast majority of cases.

Shopping around
It's always a good idea to shop around for your prescription medication as the price difference between land based and online pharmacies can be significant.

Reducing the dosage
Many consumers are taking more prescription medication than is necessary to achieve optimum therapeutical benefits for their particular health concerns. Pills2go would recommend reducing the dosage of selected prescription medications only after consulting a suitably qualified medical professional.

Generics instead of Brand name medication
People often incorrectly assume that generics are lower quality or inferior to their brand name counterparts. After a new medication is developed, it is protected by patent for a number of years meaning that the innovator can charge any price they want as they have exclusivity of the particular pharmaceutical and usually charge a premium to cover the costs incurred whilst bringing the drug to market. Once the patent runs out, other pharmaceutical companies are free to manufacture an identical version (generic) and are able to bring this to market at a far lower price. See more about generic medication below.

Pill splitting

Pill splitting or pill cutting is a method of modifying pills or tablets to obtain a lower dose of the active ingredient either to reduce costs associated with medication or because the dose required is not available. Pills that are meant to be split (Aspirin for example) come pre-scored so they can be easily devided into halves or quarters. Prescription drugs can be manufactured in many different strengths. For example, a drug might be produced in 10mg, 25mg and 50mg strengths. Higher strength pills are usually lower in cost per unit so significant savings can be made by splitting the larger strength pills. For example, currently, a well known US online pharmacy is charging $99.99 for 30 x 10mg Lipitor tablets (atorvastatin) and $137.99 for 30 x 20mg Lipitor tablets. If you were prescribed 10mg doses by your doctor, you could buy the 20mg tablets and split them to make a saving of $31 a month. Pill splitters or pill cutters are relatively simple but very effective devices used to precisely split or cut pills or tablets. They usually comprise of a "pill grip" to hold the pill or tablet securely in place, a blade to split the pill, a blade guard to prevent being cut by the blade and a compartment where the split parts can be stored.

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The following types of medications should not be split:

Capsules can contain powder, liquid, gel or pellets. If you split a capsule, the contents may spill and become impossible to evenly devide.

Enteric coated tablets have a special coating that prevents the release of the active ingredient in the stomach. This coating protects your stomach from the drug or prevents it's active ingredients from being destroyed by stomach acids.

Also known as long acting medications, extended release tablets have either a coating or additives that control the rate at which the active ingredients are released from the pill. Splitting these types of tablets can damage the additives or the coating. This may result in too much or too little of the active ingredient being released which can have implications for the health of the individual.

Some medications require an exact dose every time you take it. Splitting these tablets could result in too little to be effective or too much which could be dangerous and lead to complications. An example would be the blood thinner Coumadin (warfarin). This requires a very precise dose as too much can cause excessive bleeding whereas too little can cause blood clots to form.

Pill splitting tips:

How to split pills

Step 1: Make sure it's safe to split your pills. In general, pain killers, anti depressants, statins, and high blood pressure drugs are safe.

Step 2: Buy a high quality pill splitter. Look for one with a V shaped tip which allows for exact placement and splitting of tablets.

Step 3: Place the splitter on a flat surface, open the cover, familiarise yourself with the pill grip, storage compartment, blade/blade shield.

Step 4: Place the tablet securely in the V shaped "pill grip" making sure that is aligned properly to ensure the tablet splits evenly.

Step 5: With the pill correctly positioned, hold splitter securely with one hand & firmly press down on the top of the cutter with the other.

Step 6: Remove the split halves or quarters and transfer to a pill box or container clearly labeled with the medication name.