The look of a brand name medication is often patented. This means that generic manufacturers cannot duplicate how a brand name pill looks in terms of color, size and shape. This, combined with insurance plan’s frequently changing approved list of medications, determines which drugs are covered by your insurance. Pharmacies and insurance companies negotiate the price of drugs with manufacturers to ensure savings are passed on to the patient.
Generic drug manufacturers produce pills that look different from company to company, even though it may be the same medication, resulting in the patient receiving different looking pills from month to month. “The ideal situation is that your medications stay standard and constant, but we know that’s not always possible,” says Allen Vaida, PharmD, executive vice president of the Institute for
Safe Medication Practices.
If you and your physician determine that either a generic or brand name drug is best for you, make sure your pharmacist knows. If your doctor writes your prescription specifically for the generic, that’s what the pharmacist will give you. If you require the brand name drug, ask your doctor to indicate that on your prescription.
Ensure you have the right medication. Ask your pharmacist when you pick up your medicine or look on the label.
Ensure you have the right medication. Ask your pharmacist when you pick up your medicine or look on the label.There are two ways to tell if your medication is labeled properly: look on the bottom of the label in small print for a description of your medication's identifying marks or, if your prescription was filled robotically, look on the yellow portion of the label.
