The main active ingredients have to be the same. The rest of them can vary.

Would the coating on an extended release tablet be completely different than the brand name? I am on wellbutrin XL generic and some people say that there is a big different in the generic Vs. brand name.

im actually sensitive to generic because yes there is a difference. my doc even says that my 2 endocrinologists I've seen will not do generic synthroid.

however the generic welbutrin doesn't seem to work any different for me (thank god) the generic lamictal also is all good.

what I don't understand is why your pharmacy filled a rx generic when your doc put name bran on it? I would question that they shouldn't of filled it at all without checking with you or your doc if your insurance was rejecting it. pharmacists are not docs they don't have the licensing to be able to do that. at least not here if they cant do the rx exact they let me know or contact the dr then let me know so im never out of the loop

The chemical formula / active ingredient is identical, otherwise it will be a different brand name med with a different patent.
For identification each manufacturer, pill has it's unique size, shape, color, etc.
Even brand name different doses have at least different color.
I took both brand name and generic, and generic from different manufacturers and haven't seen ANY difference.

Yes the pharmacy does that I think due to my insurance and they have never asked me. He will write the brand name on all my scripts. I will have to double check and see if my insurance covers brand. Medicare so probably not.

Most insurance companies will not pay for the name brand drug if a generic equivalent is available. If your doctor just writes the name brand down on the prescription then the pharmacy can replace it with a generic.... the doctor has to specify that it can not be replace with a generic for you to actually get the name brand drug but then you are likely to have issues with the insurance not paying for it.

this is an age old debate about generics being the same as name brand.

I say no they are not the same. I definitely can tell a difference between different brands of ambien.

Some times generic is more powerful it just depends. Each person is different.

But only the active ingredient needs to be the same for them to prescribe it.

oh here there is a box that the dr checks that says dispense as writen. if they just write the name and not check that then no you get generic.

im on medicare d as well but with all the companys ive had if the dr specifys daw and the med is in the formulary they pay for it np. sometimes i run into the prior auth problem though.

Iv never noticed a difference

There can be a huge diffetence. You can tell the difference between no name food and name brand...medication is no different. Another thing people might not know us generic drugs aren't regulated as well as name brand. The reason I have read is that there is no money forcing the drug companies to adhere to certain requirements since there are less profits with the generics and it is hard to get blood from a stone.

Some people have died and worse been damaged from generics since there is almost no liability for generics. Believe it or not generic drug companies aren't held to the same degree as name brand since they never invented the drug. In some drugs there is a huge difference while some may be subtle, personally I don't think generics are as effective with some meds. Mind you are meds that effective in the first place?

Sweating Bullets now your going to make us paranoid that the generic drug companies are out to kill us.. lol

there was some problem a few years ago when it turned out Lamictal generic was not the same as brand name - I don't know whether generics are quality tested- it'd be interesting to know!

I'm a bit hesitant to go with generics I admit.

I have to go with generics due to finances...rarely have the 'real thing'. Have often wondered if it would make a difference.

oh-was thinking of over the counter headache pills when I wrote that...get kinda desperate w/ migraines

my psych meds aren't available in generic or are cheap ie/ tegretol, abilify, ambien.