Over the last few years, the cost of healthcare has been on a constant rise, especially with population growth, aging seniors, the rising costs of manufacturing prescription medicines, and disease incidence. Most people who have to take prescription medications on a daily basis now have to spend large out-of-pocket sums just to keep up with their prescriptions. In an effort to reduce these heavy medication bills, patients are looking to find cost-effective alternatives for their medications and one of such alternatives is opting for generic versions of their medications.
Brand-name Vs. Generic Drugs- What Is The Difference?
By FDA standards, generic drugs are medicines that are created to be the same as already marketed brand-name drugs. They are to be similar to brand-name drugs in terms of safety, strength, dosage, route of administration, intended use, performance characteristics and quality. These bio-equivalence means that generic drugs work in the same way and provide the same clinical benefits as their brand-name counterparts. In terms of costs, brand-name drugs tend to be more expensive due to the fact that companies undertake substantial research, marketing and sales activities for these medications. However, generic versions of these medicines are significantly cheaper and offer the same efficacy.
Buying Generic Drugs Online
The goal of most reputable online pharmacies like Canadian Pharmacy is to leverage technology to bring quality and lower-priced medications to patients who need them. Below are some of the benefits patients enjoy from purchasing generic drugs online.
Better Availability- From prescription to over the counter generics, online pharmacies offer an extensive collection of generic medications that are readily available to patients. With just a few clicks on your computer or smartphone, you get to shop and compare products from different online pharmacies before settling on the ones you feel are best for you.
Better Prices- With only pharmacies, not only do you get access to different generic drugs, but you also get to shop and compare their prices. Many online pharmacies offer highly competitive prices for their generic drugs, including attractive discounts and bonuses for both existing and first-time customers.
Easy And Simplified Process- With a basic understanding of computers and Internet usage, patients can easily order generic medications online. All that is required is a valid prescription from a licensed pharmacist and payment information. Once your order is validated, you can sit back and wait for your medications to be delivered to your doorstep.
Access To Expert Medical Advice- Any reputable online pharmacy will have a licensed pharmacist on-call to answer patients’ questions about their medications. This is especially important since many patients have doubts about generic drugs. The on-call pharmacist in these online drug stores will provide patients with all the necessary information (dosage, active ingredients, interactions with other drugs, and side effects) about the generic drugs they are buying.
Conclusion:
Access to quality and affordable medications should be a right rather than a privilege to the patients who need them, and online pharmacies providing a wide variety of generic drugs make this possible.