Do you find that brand name pain relievers work better/faster than generic?

[Anonymous]

I was listening to a podcast and it mentioned that while the active ingredient is the same (let’s say ibuprofen) other parts and ingredients of the pill that deliver the medicine (the casing, the other ingredients) are often different, thus causing it to not work as effectively or quickly as the brand.

I’m curious if you’ve experienced this.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

[Anonymous]

They do what’s called bioequivalence studies to show that the genetic works the same as the brand. So no, it doesnt work better or faster.

[Anonymous]

The hospital gave me generics.

[Anonymous]

Not necessarily but a hill I will die on is that prescribed 800 mg of Ibuprofen (single pill) is more effective than 4 200 mg of OTC Advil.

[Anonymous]

My friend who is a doctor told me that she only uses name brand OTC pain killers because you have no real idea of where the generics come from and what the standards are in other countries where many of the generics are manufactured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The hospital gave me generics.

And charged you 10x what you could have purchased the brand for, probably!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They do what’s called bioequivalence studies to show that the genetic works the same as the brand. So no, it doesnt work better or faster.

Yes, on the active ingredient, not on the casing and other ingredients. That was the point of the podcast.

[Anonymous]

I've been on pain killers long term for a chronic condition. absolutely ZERO difference between brand and generic in terms of delivering prompt actual pain relief. The podcast was BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend who is a doctor told me that she only uses name brand OTC pain killers because you have no real idea of where the generics come from and what the standards are in other countries where many of the generics are manufactured.

Guarantee you don’t know where the brand name is made either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend who is a doctor told me that she only uses name brand OTC pain killers because you have no real idea of where the generics come from and what the standards are in other countries where many of the generics are manufactured.

Chances are Israel, India or Europe and I’d take any three of those very happily. They have excellent regulators.

To the OP, no, I have honestly never noticed a difference except in the price.

[Anonymous]

Not for painkillers, but recently I couldn't find Zyrtec and bought a generic. The generic worked well for DH, but not for me.

Like PP who talked about dose size, in grad school I was on Cipro for an extended period of time. The school pharmacy tried giving me double dose pills to cut in half because it was cheaper, but it didn't work as well as using full pills of the correct dose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not for painkillers, but recently I couldn't find Zyrtec and bought a generic. The generic worked well for DH, but not for me.

Like PP who talked about dose size, in grad school I was on Cipro for an extended period of time. The school pharmacy tried giving me double dose pills to cut in half because it was cheaper, but it didn't work as well as using full pills of the correct dose.

Also (same PP), I have digestive issues, so I don't know if the speed things move through me compared to the average person makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

It’s all the same. I buy whatever is cheapest, with the caveat the gel rapid release casings do work faster so I buy generics of those.

[Anonymous]

I know with my sumatriptan for migraines that various generics work differently. Some are twice the size so obviously contain more filler. When I have a migraine I don't digest as well so yes, certain brands behave differently. I'm not saying the active ingredient isn't the same but the way it enters the bloodstream is not identical.