Question

2. 3. 4. 5. What is the difference between generic name and trade or brand name? Your text teaches, "A drug interaction may occur when one drug potentiates or diminishes the action of another drug." What does this mean?

Answer 1

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERIC AND BRAND NAME

A patient may go for a brand name drug or a generic drug.

A brand name drug is manufactured by a pharmaceutical company. The company vets FDA approval for the drug and gets the patent and copyright for the drug name known as brand name. Once the company’s patent expires it can be manufactured as generic.

Brand name drug and generic drug have the same active ingredient, potency, bioavailability, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.

The most important difference between the brand name and generic is that of cost. Generic drugs are less expensive than brand name.

Other differences between the brand name and generic drug are that of colour, shape, taste, inactive ingredients or excipients, packaging.

DRUG INTERACTION

Drug interaction can be defined as the alteration of action of the drug caused due to interaction with some other drug, food or health condition.

Drug interaction can cause a drug to diminished or exaggerated response on the body.

The statement “ a drug interaction may occur when one drug potentiates or diminishes the action of another drug” implies to drug - drug interaction. The drug - drug interaction is the interaction of one drug with another. It can be of three types :

1. Additive : Adding the result of two drugs taken independently

2. Synergist : when one drug aids or potentiates the action of another drug and results in a much larger effect

3. Antagonist : when one drug antagonises the action of another drug it leads to diminished effect of the drug.