Generic Drug Problems
Generic drugs are supposed to be identical to their brand-name counterparts, but many people report problems with generic drug quality. Share your own story.
Are US Drug Prices Exorbitant?
Americans are paying more for medicines than people anywhere else in the world. That's the conclusion from an analysis commissioned by the news agency Reuters. Investigators at the University of Liver…
Is Drug Company Greed Out of Control?
Are drug companies killing the goose that lays their golden eggs? In this ancient fable, a farmer and his wife discover that their goose is laying golden eggs. They become so greedy that they slaughte…
Save Money Safely With Authorized Generic Drugs
People have become suspicious of the quality of generic drugs. Is there a way to benefit from the lower cost of these copycat medicines without sacrificing effectiveness? What are Authorized Generic D…
Pain with Switch from Celebrex to Celecoxib
People with arthritis frequently rely on medication to fight the pain and inflammation of their condition. When a drug works well, they stick with it. It can be a disappointment to discover that a dif…
Generic Drugs Banned in Europe But Not in the US
Over a year ago we received a message from a pharmaceutical research scientist. He worked for a large clinical research company in India that tested generic drugs to see whether they reached blood lev…
More Drug Recalls From India – Do You Trus…
The overwhelming majority of generic drugs are now made abroad. India supplies a large proportion of those formulations. In recent days two large Indian drug companies have received bad news from the …
Help with Pricey Prescription Drug Bills
Pricey prescription drug bills are a serious problem for anyone paying out of pocket or whose insurance has a hefty copay. (That may be most of us these days.) Having the doctor write the correct pres…
Can You Put Lipstick on Big Pharma and Its Piggy…
Big Pharma has a problem. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Drug Makers are Having Trouble Improving Their Reputations." A new survey shows that drug companies are not perceived as outstanding in…
Does FDA Care Whether Generic Drugs Work?
There has been a lively debate about whether generic drugs are truly equivalent to their brand-name equivalents. That has been stirred up even further by questions about the effectiveness of certain g…
Joe Graedon Discusses Generic Drugs on WTVD
Joe Graedon talked about the pros and cons of generic drugs on ABC11 (WTVD Durham NC) on April 22, 2015. Here's a link. Saving money is a big advantage, but only if the medication works properly. How …
Soaring Generic Drug Prices Squeeze Patients
Q. Has anyone done some investigative journalism to expose why several generic medication prices have skyrocketed? My clobetasol ointment has gone up 300 percent over the last year. My understanding i…
Is the FDA Protecting Drug Companies Instead of …
For decades we were staunch defenders of the FDA. We thought the agency did an amazing job protecting consumers from bogus products. We applauded the organization for making sure Americans' medication…
FDA Is Concerned about Drug Quality
The Food and Drug Administration has just announced a restructuring. The agency will be adding a new department, the Office of Pharmaceutical Quality, to rectify some serious manufacturing problems th…
Questions About Generic Forms of Concerta
Q. I was delighted to read about FDA concerns regarding generic Concerta. My prescription insurance is going to an essentially generic-only pricing system that will push the price of brand-name Concer…
Expose Reveals Why We No Longer Trust All Generi…
For more than 25 years we were among the most enthusiastic boosters of generic drugs in America. That began to change in the late 1990s because we were receiving so many complaints from patients. Inve…
Generic Drug Prices Are Skyrocketing
Generic drugs are supposed to be inexpensive alternatives to pricey brand name medications. But in recent months there has been a surge in the price of some generic drugs, making them absurdly expensi…
FDA Drops a Bombshell on Slow-Release Generic Dr…
The Food and Drug Administration's announcement last week that two generic Concerta formulations might not work as well as the brand name medication has rekindled questions about the FDA's generic dru…
People’s Pharmacy Expertise Featured on Ni…
We have been campaigning for transparency in generic drug approval, manufacturing and distribution for over a decade. That's because we have heard from so many visitors to this website about difficu…
Stopping Cymbalta Triggered More Frequent Attack…
Q. I have narcolepsy with cataplexy. Cataplexy is sudden loss of muscle tone brought on by strong emotion, such as fear, anger or excitement. In my case, it is triggered by laughter. I can go a long t…
Generic Metoprolol Pills Are Recalled by Manufac…
Another Indian generic drug company is recalling an important heart medicine called metoprolol. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories determined that their 25 mg metoprolol tablets did not dissolve as expected. Ov…
We’re Not the Only Ones! Cleveland Clinic …
Last week the FDA announced another metoprolol succinate recall. This time it was from the Indian generic drug company Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. The 25 mg metoprolol pills failed a dissolution test. I…
Another Metoprolol Recall Reveals the Dark Side …
Here we go again: another generic metoprolol recall from an Indian drug company. The FDA announced problems with Dr. Reddy's metoprolol succinate 25 mg extended release tablets and the company is in t…
Not All Generic Forms of Zolpidem Induce Sleep f…
Q. Insurers require us to use generic drugs. My wife and I both take Ambien when we travel, which is quite often. If we were buying brand name Ambien, it would cost us over $350 out of pocket for 30 p…
FDA Launches a New Program to Test Generic Drugs…
The Food and Drug Administration is about to launch the first generic drug testing program in America's history. Thank goodness. We have relied upon the honor system for far too long. Physicians, phar…
Accuracy of Prescribing Information for Generic …
The manufacturers of generic drugs are fighting an FDA proposal that would require them to update the prescribing information when new dangers come to light. This would level the playing field between…
FDA Agrees to Start Testing Generic Drugs –…
Without admitting that there is a problem with generic drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just announced that it is initiating a $20 million testing program. The FDA's new Office of Ph…
Why We Have Lost Confidence in Generic Drugs: Ne…
Gardiner Harris has written a powerful front-page story for the New York Times titled "Medicines Made in India Set Off Safety Worries" (Feb. 15, 2014). If anything, the headline downplays the seriousn…
FDA Head’s Travel to Address Quality Contr…
The FDA has long maintained that generic drugs are every bit as good as their brand name counterparts. But in recent years the agency has had to crack down on foreign generic drug manufacturers beca…
Indian Generic Drug Firm Ranbaxy Is in Big Troub…
The FDA has just banned the importation of pharmaceutical ingredients from the largest drug company in India, but it is not the first time. Four of Ranbaxy's five manufacturing facilities once made dr…
More Trouble for Indian Generic Manufacturer Cou…
Over 80 percent of the prescription medications that Americans now buy from pharmacies are generic rather than brand name. The majority of the ingredients in those pills come from abroad. India and Ch…
Be Wary of Stratospheric Increases in Generic Dr…
Generic medications are supposed to be a bargain. According to the FDA, patients may be able to save as much as 80 percent on some products. Big box discount stores have enticed customers with a three…
Why Don’t You Trust Generic Drugs as Much …
Why don't patients and their doctors trust generic drugs? Despite the fact that 84 percent of all prescriptions are dispensed in their generic form, there is still a great deal of skepticism about the…
FDA Follow-Up Finds Another Generic Bupropion Fa…
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a long-awaited report on the quality of a generic antidepressant. Last October the FDA reported that one generic form of the drug Wellbutrin did not meet it…
Generic Switch Triggers Diazepam Side Effects …
Q. I had horrific side effects from 5mg diazepam when I was switched to a different generic diazepam. The first time I took the new pills, I woke up feeling like I was being shocked or as if I were ha…
Has the Court Made Generic Drugs Too Risky?
Americans have long believed in accountability. Harm someone and you should be held responsible, both criminally and civilly. That's why we have lawyers and courts. If your neighbor recklessly cuts do…
Generic Drug Maker Pleads Guilty to Felony
Ranbaxy USA has just pleaded guilty to felony charges involving adulterated drugs made in India for the U.S. market. It is the largest drug safety settlement in history. Despite continuous reassurance…
FDA Silent On Generic Drug Fraud
The brand new report from ProPublica reads like a detective story. A whistleblower working for a drug testing firm alerts the FDA that some scientists in the company were fudging data. A team of FDA i…
Generic Seizure Medicine Let Him Down
Q. I have epilepsy and was well controlled on Keppra and Topamax for years. When I was switched to generic Keppra (levetiracetam) without realizing it, I had several seizures in two weeks. I fell down…
Is It Safe to Save Money on Medicine?
America loves generic drugs. Anyone who has to pay for medication is thrilled at the prospect of saving big bucks on prescription medicine. That includes insurance companies, hospitals, government age…
Carvedilol Side Effects from Generic Coreg
One of the most popular beta blockers being prescribed these days is carvedilol (Coreg). Even though this class of medication is no longer perceived by most cardiology experts as appropriate first-lin…