Buy generic drugs and save

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01.What are generic drugs?

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  • A generic drug is a copy of a branded drug. It's chemically equivalent to its branded counterpart but usually costs less.
  • Generic drugs must meet the same standards of quality and safety as branded drugs.
  • Some generic drugs may look different to their branded equivalent because they have different colourings and binding agents but the active ingredient used is the same.
  • They're safe for most people and conditions. Check the table below to see if a generic alternative is available for your medication.
  • Not all drugs have a generic equivalent. Newly developed medicines are protected by a patent, typically for 20 years. Only when this runs out can generic versions be produced.
  • Generic drugs are cheaper than branded drugs because the manufacturers don't have to spend the same amount of money on research and development.

Please note: this information was current as of November 2008 but is still a useful guide today.


Popular prescription drugs and their generic alternatives

Brand versus generic alternative
Brand
Generic alternative
What can you save?
ACTONEL ONCE-A-WEEK
NONE
AMOXIL cap 500mg
ALPHAMOX 500 ,AMOHEXAL, AMOXYCILLIN – DP, CHEM MART AMOXYCILLIN, CILAMOX, GENRX AMOXYCILLIN, MOXACIN, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS AMOXYCILLIN
 0.80
AROPAX
CHEM MART PAROXETINE, EXTINE 20, GENRX PAROXETINE, PAROXETINE 20, PAROXETINE-DP, PAROXETINE SANDOZ, PAROXETINE WINTHROP, PAXTINE, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS PAROXETINE
 0.86
ASTRIX tab 100mg
DBL ASPIRIN 100mg
 1.36
ATACAND
NONE
ATACAND PLUS 16/12.5
NONE
AUGMENTIN DUO FORTE
CURAM 875/125, GA-AMCLAV FORTE 875/125, GENRX AMOXYCILLIN & CLAVULANIC ACID, MOXICLAV DUO FORTE 875/125,TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS AMOXYCILLIN & CLAVULANIC ACID
 2.04
AVANZA tab 30mg
AXIT 30, CHEM MART MIRTAZAPINE, GENRX MIRTAZAPINE, MIRTAZAPINE-DP, MIRTAZAPINE SANDOZ, MIRTAZON, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS MIRTAZAPINE
 1.70
AVAPRO
NONE
BETALOC tab 50mg
CHEM MART METOPROLOL, GENRX METOPROLOL, METOHEXAL, METOLOL, METROL 50, MINAX 50, TERRY WHITE CHEMIST METOPROLOL
 2.54
CELEBREX
NONE
CHLOROMYCETIN
NONE
CHLORSIG
NONE
CIPRAMIL tab 20mg (base)
CELAPRAM, CELICA, CHEM MART CITALOPRAM, CIAZIL, CITALOBELL, CITALOPRAM 20, CITALOPRAM WINTHROP, GENRX CITALOPRAM, TALAM, TALOHEXAL, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS CITALOPRAM
 3.49
COUMADIN
NONE
COVERSYL
NONE
DIABEX tab 1g
DIAFORMIN 1000, FORMET 1000, GLUCOHEXAL
 1.41
DIAMICRON tab 80mg
CHEM MART GLICLAZIDE, GENRX GLICLAZIDE, GLYADE, MELLIHEXAL, NIDEM, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS GLICLAZIDE
 2.03
DUCENE tab 5mg
ANTENEX 5, DIAZEPAM – DP, RANZEPAM, VALPAM 5
 0.63
EFEXOR-XR
NONE
EZETROLE tab 10mg
NONE
FOSAMAX (once weekly) tab 70mg
ADRONAT, ALENDROBELL 70mg, ALENDRONATE SANDOZ, ALENDRO ONCE WEEKLY, APO-ALENDRONATE, CHEM MART ALENDRONATE 70mg, OSSMAX 70mg,TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS ALENDRONATE 70mg
 1.42
GLUCOPHAGE/DIABEX tab 500mg
CHEM MART METFORMIN, DIAFORMIN, FORMET 500, GENRX METFORMIN, GLUCOHEXAL, GLUCOMET 500mg, METFORMIN 500, METFORMIN GENERICHEALTH, METFORBELL, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS METFORMIN, GN BRAND
 1.10/1.40
IMDUR DURULE tab 60mg (sustained release)
CHEM MART ISOSORBIDE MONONITRATE, DURIDE, GENRX ISOSORBIDE MONONITRATE, IMTRATE 60mg, ISOMONIT, MONODUR 60mg, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS ISOSORBIDE MONONITRATE
 2.22
ISCOVER
NONE
ISOPTIN SR tab 240mg (sustained release)
ANPEC SR, CORDILOX SR
 2.26
KARVEA
NONE
KARVEZIDE
NONE
KEFLEX
IBILEX 500, RANCEF, SPORAHEXAL, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS CEPHALEXIN
 2.23
LASIX
UREX, CHEM MART FRUSEMIDE, FRUSEHEXAL 40mg, FRUSID, GENRX FRUSEMIDE, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS FRUSEMIDE, UREMIDE
 No price premium but has generic equivalent
LIPEX 10mg
CHEM MART SIMVASTATIN, GENRX SIMVASTATIN, RANSIM, SIMVABELL, SIMVAHEXAL, SIMVAR 10, SIMVASTATIN – DP, SIMVASTATIN GENERICHEALTH, SIMVASTATIN WINTHROP, SIMVASYN, SIMVATRUST 10, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS SIMVASTATIN, ZIMSTAT, GN BRAND
 1.05
LIPITOR
NONE
LOPRESOR 50 tab 50mg
CHEM MART METOPROLOL, GENRX METOPROLOL, METOHEXAL, METOLOL, METROL 50, MINAX 50, TERRY WHITE CHEMIST METOPROLOL
 2.35
LOSEC
GENRX OMEPRAZOLE, MEPRAZOL, OMEPRAZOLE-GA, OMEPRAZOLE RANBAXY, OMERPRAZOLE WINTHROP, ACIMAX TABLETS, OMEPRAL
 2.15
MAREVAN
NONE
MAXOLON tab 10mg
PRAMIN
 3.01
MICARDIS
NONE
MICROGYNON 30ED 21 tab 150ug/30ug & 7 inert tablets
LEVLEN ED, MONOFEME 28
 11.45
MOBIC tab 15mg
CHEM MART MELOXICAM 15MG, GENRX MELOXICAM, MELOXIBELL, MELOXICAM-GA, MELOXICAM RANBAXY, MELOXICAM SANDOZ, MELOXICAM WINTHROP, MOVALIS 15, MOXICAM 15, PHARMACOR MELOXICAM 15, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS MELOXICAM 15mg
 1.63
MOGADON tab 5mg
ALODORM
 1.53
NEXIUM
NONE
NORDETTE 28 21 tab 150ug/30ug & 7 inert tab
LEVLEN ED, MONOFEME 28
 11.78
NORMISON tab 10mg 25
TEMAZE, TEMTABS
 1.38
NORVASC tab 5/10 mg (as besylate)
AMLODIPINE-GA, AMLODIPINE GENERICHEALTH, AMLODIPINE SANDOZ, APO-AMLODIPINE, CHEM MART AMLODIPINE, PERIVASC, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS AMLODIPINE
 3.05/4.45
PANADEINE FORTE 30mg-500mg 20tab
CODALGIN FORTE, CODAPANE FORTE, COMFAROL FORTE, DOLAFORTE, PRODEINE FORTE
 1.43
PANADEINE FORTE 30mg-500mg 60tab
CODALGIN FORTE, CODAPANE FORTE, COMFAROL FORTE, DOLAFORTE, PRODEINE FORTE
 4.29
PARACETAMOL
CHEM MART CHEMADOL, DYMADON P, FEBRIDOL, PANAMAX, PARACETAMOL SANDOZ, PARALGIN, PHARMACY CHOICE PARACETAMOL, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS PARACETAMOL
 No price premium but has generic equivalent
PARIET
NONE
PLAVIX
NONE
PLENDIL ER tab 5/10mg (extended release)
FELODIL XR 5/10, FELODUR ER 5/10mg
 3.92
PRAVACHOL tab 40mg
CHEM MART PRAVASTATIN,CHOLSTAT 40, GENRX PRAVASTATIN, LIPOSTAT 40, LIPRACHOL, PRAVASTATIN 40, PRAVASTATIN-DP, PRAVASTATIN WINTHROP, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS PRAVASTATIN, VASTORAN
 3.07
PROZAC cap 20mg (base)
AUSCAP, CHEM MART FLUOXETINE, FLUOHEXAL, FLUOXEBELL, FLUOXETINE 20, FLUOXETINE – DP, GENRX FLUOXETINE, LOVAN, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS FLUOXETINE, ZACTIN
 4.13
RULIDE tab 150/300mg
BIAXSIG, ROXAR 150/300, ROXIDE, ROXIMYCIN
 1.89
SEREPAX tab 30mg
ALEPAM 30, MURELAX
 1.90
SERETIDE ACCUHALER 250/50
NONE
SERETIDE ACCUHALER 500/50
NONE
SERETIDE MDI 250/25
NONE
SOLONE

PANAFCORTELONE
No price premium but has generic equivalent
SOMAC
NONE
SPIRIVA
NONE
STEMETIL tab 5mg
STEMZINE
 2.16
SYMBICORT TURBUHALER 200/6 (120 doses)
NONE
TEARS NATURALE ( 0.3%-0.1%)
POLY-TEARS
 1.67
TENORMIN tab 50mg
ANSELOL 50mg, ATEHEXAL, CHEM MART ATENOLOL, GENRX ATENOLOL, NOTEN, TENSIG, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS ATENOLOL
 2.79
TRAMAL cap 50mg
CHEM MART TRAMADOL, GENRX TRAMADOL, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS TRAMADOL, TRAMEDO, ZYDOL
 2.42
TRIPRIM tab 300mg
ALPRIM
 1.03
TRITACE or RAMACE

PRILACE 5, TRYZAN TABS 5, RAMIPRIL SANDOZ, RAMIPRIL WINTHROP, TRITACE
 No price premium but has generic equivalent
VALIUM tab 5mg
ANTENEX 5, DIAZEPAM – DP, RANZEPAM, VALPAM 5
 0.88
VASOCARDOL CD
CARDIZEM CD, CHEM MART DILTIAZEM CD, DILTAHEXAL CD, DILZEM CD, GENRX DILTIAZEM CD, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS DILTIAZEM CD
 No price premium but has generic equivalent
VENTOLIN CFC FREE oral inhaler 100ug
AIROMIR, ASMOL CFC-FREE, EPAQ
 1.18
VENTOLIN NEBULES
GENRX SALBUTAMOL, PHARMACOR SALBUTAMOL 5, SALBUTAMOL-GA, SALBUTAMOL SANDOZ, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS SALBUTAMOL
 1.46
VOLTAREN tab 50mg (enteric coated)
CHEM MART DICLOFENAC, CLONAC 50, DICLOHEXAL, DINAC, FENAC, GENRX DICLOFENAC, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS DICLOFENAC
 1.96
XALATAN
NONE
ZANIDIP
NONE
ZANTAC 150mg (base)
AUSRAN, CHEM MART RANITIDINE, GENRX RANITIDINE, RANI 2, RANIHEXAL , RANOXYL, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS RANITIDINE, ULCAID
 1.71
ZOCOR 10mg
CHEM MART SIMVASTATIN, GENRX SIMVASTATIN, RANSIM, SIMVABELL, SIMVAHEXAL, SIMVAR 10, SIMVASTATIN – DP, SIMVASTATIN GENERICHEALTH, SIMVASTATIN WINTHROP, SIMVASYN, SIMVATRUST 10, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS SIMVASTATIN, ZIMSTAT, GN BRAND
 1.05
ZOLOFT 100mg (base)
CHEM MART SERTRALINE, CONCORZ, ELEVA 100, GENRX SERTRALINE, SERTRA 100, SERTRALINE 100, SERTRALINE -DP, SERTRALINE GENERICHEALTH, SERTRALINE WINTHROP, SERTRATRUST, SETRONA, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS SERTRALINE, XYDEP 100
 0.41
ZOTON
NONE
ZYLOPRIM tab 300mg
ALLOHEXAL, ALLOSIG, CHEM MART ALLOPURINOL, GENRX ALLOPURINOL, PROGOUT 300, TERRY WHITE CHEMISTS ALLOPURINOL
 1.80

Want to know more?


For more information see the CHOICE book on medicinal drugs

 
 

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