Precept Employee Benefits Blog

I just finished reading an article from the June issue of SELF Magazine, Bad Bargain: The Dangers of Generic Drugs. The article discusses some hidden dangers of generic drugs, from bad reactions to poor manufacturing processes to a failure on the part of the FDA to properly regulate. I have two thoughts around this article.

First, I myself once had an incredibly bad reaction to a generic drug. The mail order pharmacy I used switched one generic for another (my prescription was for generic A and for some reason, they instead sent me generic B). I had never had any problems with generic A, but generic B caused severe side effects that I had not experienced with generic A. I called the pharmacy and they very nice lady immediately sent out a replacement of generic A. Could this have happened with a brand name drug? Absolutely. It just goes to show that there are differences between all drugs, and it’s important for you to know your own body and do your homework. You can’t expect doctors or pharmacists to know how you are going to react to a specific drug. A year later, when it was time for a new prescription, the pharmacy once again substituted generic B (I don’t know why there was no note in the file not to do so, but there wasn’t). I immediately called and they sent out generic A.

Several of the stories in the article talk about people who went through side effects for months, saw multiple doctors, and never once mentioned that their prescription had been substituted. You can’t expect your doctor to magically know the answer to the problem – if you have side effects that you didn’t have before, TELL YOUR DOCTOR.

Second, in a perfect world, the FDA would be able to test each and every pill before it reaches the patient’s mouth. Unfortunately, as we all know, we don’t live in a perfect world. Do your research. Generics are a great way to save money. There are many websites that allow you to compare brand name drugs with their generic alternatives. When your doctor prescribes a drug, ask about generics. He or she may be able to suggest generics, or may want you on a brand name for a specific reason. Also, when researching generics (and brand names, for that matter), go online and do some research. Not just the company’s website; look for other places where the company is mentioned. For example, in this article, Ranbaxy Laboratories ended up being the subject of a huge FDA investigation. That’s the kind of information you won’t find on the company’s website.

The comments to the online article are interesting. Several people are telling their own personal horror stories, while others pose their opinions on why much of the research in the article is wrong. Either way, one thing is clear: WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTH, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. The only one who is going to know for certain how a drug affects your body is YOU. Don’t expect your doctor, your pharmacist, or the FDA to have all the answers. The best way to save money on health care is to be a good consumer. It may take a little extra time, but it can have a big pay-off, both physically and fiscally.