Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Generic Drugs Often Made Abroad

Q. I just filled a prescription for the sleeping pill zolpidem (generic Ambien) at a discount pharmacy. The literature with this prescription said my medication was manufactured in Amman, Jordan. What’s with this?

A. Increasingly, generic drugs (and many brand names as well) are made abroad. Costs tend to be lower in places like China and India. They are among the biggest players in the global pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

Other countries including Thailand, Brazil and Mexico are also suppliers of raw ingredients. We’re not too surprised that Jordan would be making generic pharmaceuticals for the U.S. market.

Just because a drug is generic, though, doesn’t mean it can’t help you. Generic drugs offer significant savings, and if you use them wisely, you can get real benefit. We offer tips on what to look for in our book, Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
0- 0 ratings
About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.