Protonix Brand/Generic

[Sparda29]

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Has anyone noticed that the generic is the same damn pill as the brand?

 

[MountainPharmD]

Same for Generic Lotrel and Omnicef.

I thought a generic product had to be a different size shape and color as the brand name drug.

 

[ttopping]

if it's made by the same company, why would they change anything, including how it looks. They aren't going to make it any cheaper, it's just what they price it at. If people want the generic instead of the brand, all they really need to do is change the label and mark down the price. No infringement since it's their brand anyway

 

[pharmacychick01]

ttopping is correct, the only thing that prevents generic companies from copying the design of the brand originator are trademark laws. Unlike patents, trademarks never expire.

However, if the owner of the trademark decides to produce a generic product, they are within their rights to keep the design of the brand drug.

It also helps them because that particular design has built "brand loyalty" during the patent phase, and so consumers could potentially be more likely to ask for that particular manufacturer once other generic manufacturers come on the market for that same drug.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

if it's made by the same company, why would they change anything, including how it looks. They aren't going to make it any cheaper, it's just what they price it at. If people want the generic instead of the brand, all they really need to do is change the label and mark down the price. No infringement since it's their brand anyway

Ha! I love your avatar ttop!!

 

[ttopping]

Ha! I love your avatar ttop!!

Thanks! Can't remember where I found it but I thought it was hilarious so I had to use it.

I also agree with the brand loyalty thing. They know they're going to be losing money with other generics out there so they might as well jump in too. With the added "hey, it's the original brand but now cheaper!", they might get more sales from the people who don't trust generics as much but still want to pay less.

 

[Praziquantel86]

In the case of the Protonix generic, I heard there was some sort of an issue with misbranding. Even though it is the exact same thing as the brand name, it isn't marketed as such, and therefore can't have "Protonix" written on it (legally, at least).

Or so I've heard.

 

[Hels2007]

It's all a lot simpler. When generics hit, a lot of the time brand company will contract with some generic company to sell their pills under the generic company's label and at generic price in order to get a piece of the action. Of course the pills would look the same then - authorized generics are marketed under the original brand products's NDA. It doesn't happen on every product, but I know that one of the Toprol XLs was authorized generic, and one of the Protonix (not the Teva one but the other one), and Greenstone is actually owned by Pfizer so whatever generics they sell under their label for Pfizer products (I don't even know if they sell other generics?) are the exact same stuff as the brand, just cheaper and in a different bottle.

The most recent example is Ocelle, the Yasmin generic. If you look at the box, it even says it is manufactured by Bayer, and the inner packaging and everything looks the same, just the color of the box is off. However, it's so funny how all the reports started creeping up like "I took Yasmin for years and had no problems, and then I took this Ocelle stuff and instantly felt nauseated". Hello, that's the same exact product made by the same company on the same line! You could have feld nauseated for a billion of unrelated reasons, or it's simply all in your head...

 

[bananaface]

No wonder Ocella costs so much.

 

[aboveliquidice]

No wonder Ocella costs so much.

65.xx vs 54.xx Not really huge savings... I thought that was due to the 6 month exclusive generic deal (at least I think that is what I heard). Shouldn't Ocella drop in price in the next month or so???

~above~

 

[Hels2007]

65.xx vs 54.xx Not really huge savings... I thought that was due to the 6 month exclusive generic deal (at least I think that is what I heard). Shouldn't Ocella drop in price in the next month or so???

~above~

I don't know... if there are many other generics, then yeah, the competition would force the price down, but if there is just one or two others, then probably not. Why would they give up their profits? Generic companies like their profits as much as anyone else.

Birth control is simply expensive, even generics. I still have $25-30 prices stuck in my head from 2003 or so, and still get shocked every time I check generic BC prices and it's all in high 40s now, I think... and brands are all close to $60.

 

[themorphinerule]

I can hear my law professor, who happens to be the exec. director of the NC board of pharmacy, saying "misbranding!!!". Since technically its labeled as pantaprozole it would be misbranded to have "protonix" appear on it.. that's my reasoning.. and as I've seen in this law class the FDA has been declawed for the most part at trying to police these "smaller" issues.

 

[Quiksilver]

Thanks! Can't remember where I found it but I thought it was hilarious so I had to use it.

I also agree with the brand loyalty thing. They know they're going to be losing money with other generics out there so they might as well jump in too. With the added "hey, it's the original brand but now cheaper!", they might get more sales from the people who don't trust generics as much but still want to pay less.

In the case of the Protonix generic, I heard there was some sort of an issue with misbranding. Even though it is the exact same thing as the brand name, it isn't marketed as such, and therefore can't have "Protonix" written on it (legally, at least).

Or so I've heard.

you 2 make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


at least no one can bitch about getting the generic version of the drug

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Wait until you get some nutjob that swears up and down the generic doesn't work as good as the "old" brand name. Same thing happened to me when Zoloft went generic. Same tablet...same company (Greenstone....owned by Pfizer)...same thing...but I'll be damned if some woman didn't come in and tell me it didn't work as well.

 

[MountainPharmD]

Wait until you get some nutjob that swears up and down the generic doesn't work as good as the "old" brand name. Same thing happened to me when Zoloft went generic. Same tablet...same company (Greenstone....owned by Pfizer)...same thing...but I'll be damned if some woman didn't come in and tell me it didn't work as well.

Yep...Had it happen with the Greenstone sertraline and the Generic Protonix. I actually put both pills on a counting tray and showed a lady the brand and generic were the same pill. All I got was the typical cow eyed stare. She insisted her bottle say Protonix not the generic.

After working retail pharmacy I am convinced that 80% of the American population are complete idiots.

 

[Hels2007]

After working retail pharmacy I am convinced that 80% of the American population are complete idiots.

You are way to generous. I'd say 90+%. But, to be fair, it's not much better in other countries. 😀

 

[clachan3]

One patient insisted to get brand and pay much more for brand one time when the generic brand look the same...🙁 sad