Branded Generics: What They Are and Why They’re Profitable
Branded generic drugs attach proprietary names to generic drug molecules and may be marketed similarly to how branded drugs are.

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Ordinary generic drugs are usually known by their chemical name. The branded drug Trimox for instance is also sold as the generic called amoxicillin. Branded generics, however, are given names to drive recognition and promote consumer loyalty. For example, Cryselle is a branded generic contraceptive pill. It goes by Cryselle rather than its generic name (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) to increase the likelihood of patients requesting it by name.
Some branded generics are specially made as novel dosage forms of off-patent drugs, filling in a dosage gap while offering consumers a name that is likely easier to remember than the true generic name. Branded generics are a small, but profitable segment of the pharmaceutical market.
Generic medicine has turned out to be a highly volatile issue with the medical community and patients are split about it. Different companies would have a different name and price for a chemical combination. In recent years, pharmaceutical companies have wooed doctors into prescribing their medicines, eroding the doctor-patient trust in the process.
Branded Generics Not the Same as Authorized Generics
It’s easy to confuse branded generics with authorized generics, but they’re not the same. Branded generics go through the same FDA approval process as other generics after branded drug patents expire. Authorized generics, however, are created by makers of branded drugs, under the same NDA (New Drug Approval) authorization as the original branded drug, and they may be sold before drug patents expire.
In terms of price, both branded generics and authorized generics tend to cost more than ordinary generics, but less than branded drugs with unexpired drug patents. The following table shows some of the main differences among branded generics, authorized generics, and ordinary generics.

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