Generics Are Powerful Medicine

Generics Are Powerful Medicine (GPM) is a program of Community Catalyst and the Alosa Foundation.

Generic drugs have become a vital tool for consumers to save money on their prescription medications. Generic drugs use the same active ingredient as brand-name drugs and are approved by the FDA. Generic drugs are as safe as the brand-name equivalent, yet much less expensive (often only 20-30% of the brand-name price).  65% of prescriptions in the US in 2007 were filled with generics, yet they accounted for only 20% of spending on prescription drugs.

Despite the huge savings possible with generics, they are still underutilized. American consumers and the health care system could save billions of dollars more by increasing the usage of generic drugs.

Increasingly, health plans and pharmacies urge consumers to switch to generics. Yet consumers sometimes view these messages skeptically, seeing them as self-serving. What makes GPM unique is that its materials and messages come from sources with no such self-interest, and are delivered by well-trusted organizations with established relationships in their communities. This will help overcome the skepticism that some consumers have about generics messages delivered by other entities.

More information about Generics Are Powerful Medicine, is available at www.genericsarepowerful.org.