STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

twinkle · Coach

Generic drugs vs. the real thing

Kelly · Hermes

I think they're pretty much the same thing. I get brand name BCP, and once I went out of town and forgot it. My gyno called in a prescription to the pharmacy near where I was, but they gave me the generic. I asked if they were the same, since I would be picking up in the middle of a package, and the answer kind of seemed sketchy, but it was also a pharmacy assitant.

ANYWAY, long story short, she sounded fairly certain that there's not a difference, and that the hormone levels should just be the same in both.

halleybird · Hermes

It may depend on the pill. I was on a generic bcp once that really screwed me up. When I called my doc, she said there can sometimes be a difference.

montmarte · Kenneth Cole

Generics and brands contain the same active ingredient, and studies are done to make sure they are bioequivalent (within 20% is acceptable). There may be differences in terms of inactive ingredients.