Generic Sildenafil vs. Brand

Generic drugs have the same therapeutic indications, posology and the same efficacy and safety as the "brand" drug. Zenegra is sildenafil citrate that is identical to that contained in Viagra, but it is not produced by the same company that developed the active substance, hence the referencing to Zenegra as “generic drug”. Let’s take a thorough look at every aspect of generic drugs that concerns their quality, efficacy, safety and legal status.

Here is a little technical glossary for you to understand the basics.

Active principle:

It is the active substance present in every drug, i.e. the product that induces the pharmacological effect. The name of the active ingredient often refers to its chemical characteristics, and is attributed to it at the time of discovery.

Commercial name:

It is the invented name that is attributed to the drug by the company that produces it. Often the trade name alludes to the pharmacological activity or chemical-physical characteristics. Products with the same active ingredient may have different trade names, egg the acetyl salicylic (active ingredient) has several trade names: aspirin, bufferin, etc. In case of Viagra, sildenafil (its active component) and Zenegra, Viagra is the commercial name, sildenafil – the active substance, and Zenegra is the trademark name of generically produced sildenafil.

Drug patent:

The patent coverage of drugs is the time interval within which the company that patented the drug maintains exclusivity in marketing. This does not exclude that the company that holds the patent cannot sell the production to other pharmaceutical companies for a fee (royalty). The original developer of Viagra still has its patent validity in the U.S., but not anymore in Canada or Europe.

Bioavailability:

Bioavailability is the capacity that has a pharmaceutical form, to achieve a certain plasma concentration of active ingredient in a given time, which is similar for Viagra and Zenegra.

Cost of generic drugs:

Generic drugs cost at least 20% less than "brand" drugs. This lower cost is due to the fact that these drugs contain active ingredients that are no longer covered by a patent, so the manufacturers of generic drugs only have to bear the costs of production and not research. Zenegra bought online can save you up to 90% of the cost of Viagra bought at a local pharmacy chain.

Legislation of generic drugs

Medicinal products not covered by the patent on the active ingredient, having the same composition in active ingredients, pharmaceutical form, route of administration, method of issue, number of doses and equal unit doses, are reimbursed to pharmacists affiliated with the Regional Government up to the price competition lower than the corresponding product available in the normal regional distribution cycle.

The pharmacist in the absence of the indication of non-substitutability of the prescribed drug by the doctor and after informing the client, delivers to the latter the drug having the lowest price or in any case lower than or equal to the reference indicated in the annex.

In the case in which the doctor affixes to the recipe the indication of non-substitutability or the citizen does not accept the substitution, the difference between the reference price indicated in the annex "List of active ingredients with reference prices" and the price of the prescribed drug is borne by the assisted person with the exception of war pensioners holding a life pension.

If it is not possible to deliver the drug at a lower price than or equal to the reference one because it is not available in the distribution cycle, the pharmacist will dispense the available drug having the price immediately above the reference price (the lowest possible).