subject: Canada Drugs: Generic Versus Branded [print this page] Canada Drugs: Generic Versus Branded Canada Drugs: Generic Versus Branded
According to the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA), 40% of sales volume generated by Canada's Generic drug industry comes from exporting mostly to the United States. A lot of people worldwide, especially the US, prefer to purchase drugs from Canada owing to the extremely low prices of the medicines. The low prices of Canada drugs can be accounted to two reasons - a highly effective healthcare system and early availability of generic medicines. A Canadian law authorizes Canada's healthcare review board to reduce the prices of those medicines that have been overpriced. The price of Canada drugs must be less than the median of the prices of those same medicines in at least six European countries as well as the US. Canada Drugs: Generic or Branded? In Canada, drugs are a lot more affordable than those in the United States because their generic alternatives are introduced in the Canadian market long before they arrive to the US market. When you need to choose between a Generic drug and a branded one, you must be aware of the difference between the two. A generic Canada drug has exactly the same ingredients as those found in its branded equivalent. The generic medicines are supposed to have not only the same active ingredients but also the same dosage, side effects, route of administration, risks involved, therapeutic results and strength. The price is lower in case of generic drugs because there is no brand name involved. Also, there are no marketing expenses or research and development expenses involved when manufacturing a copy of a branded med. Branded medicines are patented by their manufacturers as soon as they are introduced in the market. However, when the patents' expiry date comes closer, other pharmaceutical manufacturers seek permission to develop and sell generics of that same drug. In such a case, when many different manufacturers begin to sell the same medicine at low costs, the competition tends to bring down the price of the medicine. Some of the differences that you may expect between generic and branded medicines are their color, shape, size, markings and appearance and, of course, their cost! However, remember to purchase generic Canada drugs only from trustworthy pharmacists. There are many cases of counterfeit Canada drugs in that you must be wary of. When buying a generic drug online, you must make sure that your online pharmacist is licensed and is selling only against a prescription. Also, go through testimonials and comments, if given on their website, to know exactly what sort of feedback they have received from their clients.
