Why are generic pills cheaper than the brand name ones?
The principal reason for the reduced price of generic medicines is that the creation of the generic drug runs up less cost and therefore a lower price can be offered and still maintain profitability.
Manufacturers of generic drugs are mainly able to avoid the following three costs that brand name pharmaceutical companies incur: (1) costs associated with the research and development of the drug; (2) costs associated obtaining regulatory approval (i.e. proving safety and efficacy of a drug); and (3) marketing costs.
First, Generic manufacturers do not incur the cost of drug discovery and instead reverse-engineer existing brand name drugs to allow them to manufacture bioequivalent versions.
Second, generic manufacturers do not bear the burden of proving the safety and efficacy of the drugs through clinical trials - rather, generic manufacturers must prove the generic drug’s bioequivalancy to the existing drug.
Third, these companies receive the large benefit of the marketing and advertising that goes into pushing the innovator drug. The brand name drug has to prove itself in the eyes of the consumer, generic ones do not. The drugs that generic manufacturers are selling have been on the market for usually a decade or more and do not need additional advertising. For the same reason, generic manufacturers also do not give away sample doses to promote their products. The significant research, development and marketing costs incurred by the large pharmaceutical companies in introducing a new drug to the market is often cited as the reason for the high cost of new agents - they wish to recover these costs before the patent expires. Generic manufacturers do not incur these costs, with bioequivalence testing and manufacturing costing relatively little, and are able to charge significantly less than the brand.
Quinapril belongs to the class of medications called ACE inhibitors. It is used for the treatment of high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. It works by relaxing blood vessels and by making the heart pump more efficiently. Quinapril may be used in addition to diuretics (water pills) known as thiazide diuretics (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide) when one medication has not been found to control blood pressure satisfactorily.
Quinapril hydrochloride 5/10/20mg
$0.66
Altace
Treating high blood pressure and decreasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death in certain patients.
Ramipril 1.25/2.5/5/10mg
$1.40
Calan
Verapamil 40/80/120/240mg
$0.32
Capoten
Treating high blood pressure, heart failure, or certain diabetic kidney problems.
Captopril 25mg
$0.53
Cordarone
Treating life-threatening recurrent heart rhythm disturbances in patients who cannot tolerate or do not respond well to other medicines.
Amiodarone 200mg
$2.55
Cardizem
Treating supraventricular tachycardia, a rhythm disturbance of the heart.
Diltiazem 30/60/90/120/180mg
$0.50
Coreg
Treating high blood pressure or certain types of heart failure.
Carvedilol 6.25/12.5/25mg
$0.43
Diamox
Treating certain types of glaucoma, epilepsy, or edema (fluid buildup) in combination with other medicines.
Acetazolamide 250mg
$0.36
Diltiazem Hci
Diltiazem 60mg
$1.04
Imdur
Preventing angina (chest pain) caused by heart disease.
Isosorbide mononitrate 40mg
$0.73
Inderal
This drug is used in the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension) as well as to relieve angina (chest pain)
Propranolol 10/20/40/80mg
$0.25
Isordil
Isosorbide dinitrate 50mg
$1.28
Lopressor
Metoprolol is in a group of drugs called beta-blockers.
Metoprolol 25/50/100mg
$0.40
Monoket
Isosorbide-5-mononitrate 10/20mg
$0.56
Nimotop
Reducing problems due to lack of oxygen caused by bleeding from a blood vessel in the brain.
Nimodipine 30mg
$1.48
Norvasc
This medication relaxes (widens) the blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump and reducing its workload
Amlodipine 2.5/5/10mg
$0.31
Plavix
Reducing the risk of stroke or heart attack in patients who have already had a heart attack or stroke, or have...
Clopidogrel 75mg
$0.79
Prevacid
Lansoprazole is used to treat certain conditions in which there is too much acid in the stomach'
Lansoprazole 15/30mg
$0.56
Tenormin
Decreasing death due to heart problems after a heart attack.
Atenolol 25/50/100mg
$0.29
Vasotec
Treating high blood pressure, heart failure, and other heart problems.
Enalapril 2.5/5/10/20mg
$0.37
Zantac
This drug works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces
Ranitidine 150/300mg
$0.36
Zebeta
Treating high blood pressure.
Bisoprolol 10mg
$0.64
Aggrenox
25mg + 200
$0.78
Betapace
Sotalol 40mg
$0.54
Cardizem Cd
Diltiazem hcl 90/120/180mg
$1.02
Cardizem Cr
Diltiazem hcl 60mg
$0.84
Cardizem Er
Diltiazem hcl 120mg
$1.67
Cartia
Diltiazem hcl 30/60/90/120mg
$0.48
Cartia Cd
Diltiazem hcl 90/120/180mg
$1.02
Cartia Cr
Diltiazem hcl 60mg
$0.84
Cartia Er
Diltiazem hcl 120mg
$1.67
Covera Hs
Verapamil 120/240mg
$0.54
Digitek
Digoxin 0.25mg
$0.36
Dilacor
Diltiazem hcl 30/60/90/120mg
$0.48
Dilacor Cd
Diltiazem hcl 90/120/180mg
$1.02
Dilacor Cr
Diltiazem hcl 60mg
$0.84
Dilacor Er
Diltiazem hcl 120/180mg
$1.67
Diltia
Diltiazem hcl 30/60/90/120mg
$0.48
Diltia Cd
Diltiazem hcl 90/120/180mg
$1.02
Diltia Cr
Diltiazem hcl 60mg
$0.84
Diltia Er
Diltiazem hcl 120/180mg
$1.67
Diltiazem
Treating supraventricular tachycardia, a rhythm disturbance of the heart.
