Q: What’s the difference between a generic and a brand name drug?
A: Not much, except for name and price. Because generic drug manufacturers are not required to duplicate original medical studies proving the safety and efficiency of the chemical compound, they can produce generic versions at much lower costs, thus passing on these savings to the consumer.

Q: Why are generic drugs cheaper than brand name ones?
A: They’re less expensive because of the patent system. When they are first introduced, most new drugs are patent-protected by the government for 17 years. During that time, other companies can’t sell the drug. This allows the company that developed the drug to market it exclusively and make back the research money that was spent to develop it.

When the patent runs out, drug companies can apply to the Food and Drug Administration to sell generic versions of the drug. And because they don’t have to worry about investment costs, the competing companies can often sell the drug for 50 percent to 80 percent less than the cost of the brand name.
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