From Drugs to Sunscreen: Branded vs. Generic
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: June 14, 2012
JOPLIN, NO-- For your morning bowl of cereal, you could go with a national name brand.... or choose the less expensive, no name version. But how does the nutrition stack up? Freeman Registered Dietitian Andrea McGrew says yes. "They're both healthy, like you said, they make them in the same plant and the best thing to do is look on the labels and look at the ingredients to compare it and make sure."
And there's a long list of generic drugs that say they'll help you feel better. Are they different than the brand name? Pharmacist Greg Cobble says no. "Well in order for the FDA to grant a generic approval so it can go to market, it has to meet very stringent quality control they all have to be bioequivalent meaning you're going to get the same effect from that drug in the generic form as you did in the brand."
And Cobble says that even applies to your sunscreen. "I think we can feel safe once again that the FDA has a hand in what can be brought to market. And if they find it's safe and effective, it can go to market and I think we can trust those."
