What is a generic drug?

What is a generic drug?

• A. A pharmaceutical drug manufactured without a licence from the company that had invented it, and marketed after the expiry date of the patent or other exclusive rights.
• B. A brand-name medicine protected by patent.
• C. A drug produced exclusively for research purposes.
• D. A drug approved only for veterinary use.

Answer: (A)

A generic drug is essentially the same medicine as a brand-name drug but produced by other manufacturers after the original patent and any exclusive rights have expired. It uses the same active ingredient, in the same strength and dosage form, for the same medical use, and regulators require evidence that it is bioequivalent to the brand-name product so it works in the body in the same way. Because the inventor’s protections are no longer in force, competition lowers costs and improves access. The description given matches this idea: a drug made without licensing from the original inventor and marketed once patent rights have expired. The other possibilities describe a brand-name drug still under patent, a substance for research, or a drug limited to veterinary use, none of which define a generic.

A generic drug is essentially the same medicine as a brand-name drug but produced by other manufacturers after the original patent and any exclusive rights have expired. It uses the same active ingredient, in the same strength and dosage form, for the same medical use, and regulators require evidence that it is bioequivalent to the brand-name product so it works in the body in the same way. Because the inventor’s protections are no longer in force, competition lowers costs and improves access. The description given matches this idea: a drug made without licensing from the original inventor and marketed once patent rights have expired. The other possibilities describe a brand-name drug still under patent, a substance for research, or a drug limited to veterinary use, none of which define a generic.