Printing and Imaging Association of MidAmerica
www.hpprx.com
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(800)788-2040
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Here Are Some Prudent Buyer Rx Program Savings Tips:
At Printing and Imaging Association of MidAmerica, our goal is to provide our members with the useful information they need to be prudent purchasers of consumer products. As part of our Rx Savings program, we are pleased to share the following information to help members understand more about pharmacy products and to save money whenever possible.
Probably the most common area of misunderstanding concerns generic drugs. Contrary to common misconception, generic equivalents are not inferior to name brand medications, and are in fact an excellent way to achieve significant savings whenever they are available.
Another area where members can reduce pharmacy expenditures substantially is through mail order. This alternative is best utilized for long term, maintenance drugs such as blood pressure medications, or cholesterol reducers.
The following are some common pharmaceutical industry terms and general explanations.
Generic equivalent ("generics"): pharmaceuticals that are sold by chemical name rather than brand name. Exactly like name brand medications, they are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and by law they must contain the same active ingredients and must behave exactly the same and produce the same results as their name brand counterparts.
In fact, many pharmaceutical manufacturers quietly make and market generic versions of their most popular name brand medications. Both name brand medications and their generic equivalents have the same active chemical ingredients. These medications are less expensive because they are no longer covered by patent protection, allowing other manufacturers to create the same pharmaceutical without the added cost of national marketing and advertising often associated with name brand drugs.
Not all medications are available in a generic equivalent, since they are still under patent protection. A prudent purchaser should always use generic equivalents whenever possible. Simply inform your pharmacist that you wish all your purchases to be filled with generics whenever available. If you have any questions or concerns about generic equivalents, consult your physician or pharmacist.
Name brand medications: pharmaceuticals that are marketed by a specific "name brand" which is trademarked, and owned by a specific manufacturer. It contains specific active ingredients at varying strengths, usually mixed with other inactive ingredients which serve as a "binder" or suspension agent to make the medication easier to handle. Since name brand drugs are usually recent releases, the retail price of name brand medications includes manufacturer's costs for national advertising and marketing, in addition to the usual shipping, warehousing and handling.
Non- US Mail Order Pharmacies: According to the US FDA, most drugs ordered from Canada come from other countries. Most prescription drugs sold on the Internet and claiming to be made in Canada are not, the FDA said, based on inspections of packages at three U.S. airports in August. Of 1,700 packages ordered from companies by buyers who thought they were purchasing Canadian drugs, 85% were found to have been made elsewhere, in 27 other countries. USA Today newspaper reported early in 2006 that Canada intends to ban the bulk of export prescriptions to the United States and other countries to try to control Internet pharmacies.
At Printing and Imaging Association of MidAmerica, our goal is to provide our members with the useful information they need to be prudent purchasers of consumer products. As part of our Rx Savings program, we are pleased to share the following information to help members understand more about pharmacy products and to save money whenever possible.
Probably the most common area of misunderstanding concerns generic drugs. Contrary to common misconception, generic equivalents are not inferior to name brand medications, and are in fact an excellent way to achieve significant savings whenever they are available.
Another area where members can reduce pharmacy expenditures substantially is through mail order. This alternative is best utilized for long term, maintenance drugs such as blood pressure medications, or cholesterol reducers.
The following are some common pharmaceutical industry terms and general explanations.
Generic equivalent ("generics"): pharmaceuticals that are sold by chemical name rather than brand name. Exactly like name brand medications, they are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and by law they must contain the same active ingredients and must behave exactly the same and produce the same results as their name brand counterparts.
In fact, many pharmaceutical manufacturers quietly make and market generic versions of their most popular name brand medications. Both name brand medications and their generic equivalents have the same active chemical ingredients. These medications are less expensive because they are no longer covered by patent protection, allowing other manufacturers to create the same pharmaceutical without the added cost of national marketing and advertising often associated with name brand drugs.
Not all medications are available in a generic equivalent, since they are still under patent protection. A prudent purchaser should always use generic equivalents whenever possible. Simply inform your pharmacist that you wish all your purchases to be filled with generics whenever available. If you have any questions or concerns about generic equivalents, consult your physician or pharmacist.
Name brand medications: pharmaceuticals that are marketed by a specific "name brand" which is trademarked, and owned by a specific manufacturer. It contains specific active ingredients at varying strengths, usually mixed with other inactive ingredients which serve as a "binder" or suspension agent to make the medication easier to handle. Since name brand drugs are usually recent releases, the retail price of name brand medications includes manufacturer's costs for national advertising and marketing, in addition to the usual shipping, warehousing and handling.
Non- US Mail Order Pharmacies: According to the US FDA, most drugs ordered from Canada come from other countries. Most prescription drugs sold on the Internet and claiming to be made in Canada are not, the FDA said, based on inspections of packages at three U.S. airports in August. Of 1,700 packages ordered from companies by buyers who thought they were purchasing Canadian drugs, 85% were found to have been made elsewhere, in 27 other countries. USA Today newspaper reported early in 2006 that Canada intends to ban the bulk of export prescriptions to the United States and other countries to try to control Internet pharmacies.