Are generic drugs really inferior medicines?

Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Sep;88(3):302-4. doi: 10.1038/clpt.2010.168.

Abstract

In this issue Gagne et al. report an elegant case-crossover study of seizures in patients on antiepileptic drugs. They found that a dispensation episode approximately triples the risk of having a seizure within 21 days, but the risk is not statistically different whether the dispensation was of the same brand-name or generic drug as previously used or a switch from brand-name to a generic or from a generic to a brand name. The cause of the seizure might be a delay in taking medication or late redispensation, among others, but apparently the nature of the product dispensed is not relevant in this study; this may alleviate some of the concerns about generic drugs and epilepsy.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / adverse effects
  • Anticonvulsants / pharmacokinetics
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
  • Drugs, Generic / adverse effects
  • Drugs, Generic / pharmacokinetics
  • Drugs, Generic / therapeutic use*
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy*
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Risk
  • Therapeutic Equivalency
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Drugs, Generic