When a medicine is first invented, it is given a patent that can last up to 20 years. This is to allow the company time to get back its investment in research and development of the product. However, when the patent expires, other manufactures can apply to the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) for a produuct authorisation to produce an identical version of the medicine.

Because the companies that produce these medicines do not undertake the initial research of the original brand, they can afford to produce the medicines at a lower cost. These are called generic medicines.

A generic medicine is an equivalent of an originator pharmaceutical product. It contains the same active substance and is therefore interchangeable with, the originator product.

Generic medicines are widely used in many countries and are increasingly prescribed by doctors as effective alternatives to higher-priced originator pharmaceuticals.

A generic medicine  provides the same quality, safety and efficacy as the original brand name product and undergoes strict scrutiny before it is licensed and given market approval by the Irish Medicines Board. Once a generic medicine has been approved for use by patients, its use continues to be monitored closely by the manufacturer and the Irish Medicines Board. Therefore, generic medicines comply with the same strict standards of quality, safety and efficacy as original pharmaceutical products.

In an era when increasing demands are being made on Ireland's healthcare services, generic medicines provide a major benefit to society by ensuring patient access to quality, safe and effective medicines while reducing the cost of pharmaceutical care. In addition, most of these generic medicines are made here in Ireland by Irish Pharmaceutical companies so we are also supporting Irish jobs.

Please ask our pharmacists if you can save money by switching to a generic brand.