Generics often as effective as brands

Dear Dr. Gott: I would like your opinion on generic drugs versus brand-name drugs. Is one more effective than the other? What are the differences other than cost?

Dear Reader: For millions of people, generic drugs are as effective as brand-name versions. But not always.

In general, the difference between generic and name-brand medications is minimal. They have the same amounts of active ingredients and usually have similar inactive ingredients. However, for some people, these minute alterations can make the difference between an effective treatment and an ineffective one. Many times, the more costly name-brand version can be avoided by simply taking a slightly higher dose of the generic.

If your generic product is not doing the job despite fine-tuning, talk to your doctor about a trial with the name-brand product.