What are Generic drugs?
When the patent protection for a brand-name drug expires (come to an end) Generic versions of the brand-name drug is approved and proposed for sale by the FDA. Generic Drugs are prescription drug that has the same active-ingredient formula as a brand name drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than brand name drugs and are rated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be as safe and effective as brand name drugs.

What is the difference between Generic Drugs and Brand Name Drugs?
There is not at all much difference apart from the name and the price. Since Manufacturers of a generic drug makers do not required to conduct any physical repeated trials for safety, efficacy and to find out the potency of the drug that has been already done and tested by brand name drug producers plus they do not have to pump hefty amount in promotional inputs. This allows generic drugs makers to produce Generic Drugs at a much lower cost than the brand name drugs.

Why Generic versions of Brand name drugs are so cheaper?
The expensive price of a brand name drugs is basically responsible by the patent system. When any new drug is first introduced in to the healthcare market it is protected under by the patent protection (exclusive right to an invention or design (Shape, Color, Flavor, Special Embossment or Design on the pills etc.).

In the US, a drug gets patent protection for 20 years, but applied for before clinical trials begin, so the actual effective patent life of a drug hold out to be between 7 to 12 years.  The government gives exclusive rights to the company who holds the patent drug for the marketing, so that it can get the money back which was spent on research and development.

A brand name drugs company enjoys a patent period of market monopoly or market exclusivity, during this exclusive patent time period the company is able to set the price of the drug at the maximum level which maximizes the company profitability. This exclusive price most of the time exceeds the actual production costs of the drug, which makes the brand name drug company to make a huge investment for further research and development of a new drug discovery.

Till the patent gets over no other pharmaceutical companies are allowed to produce any copycat for trade or not allowed to produce and sell equivalent drugs and medications. As soon as the patent period gets over or expires, other companies are allowed file applications to market generic versions of the drug to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since the generic drug manufacturing companies don’t have to invest in research, and do not have to pump hefty amount in promotional generic drugs manufacturers reduces the price by more than 80%.

How about the Safety, Quality and strength or powerfulness in comparison the quality of brand name drugs?
Generic drugs are considered to be comparable in terms of bio-equivalent (same amount of the same active substances, in the same dosage form, for the same route of administration and meeting the same or comparable standards) or therapeutically (healthful) equivalent to brand name drugs. That means generic drugs are equal in terms of their active chemical compounds (original molecule) as well as in the rate and extend of absorption of their active ingredients in the bloodstream.
Generic drugs may differ from their brand name equivalents in color and shape, for Example: Generic Viagra brands such as Caverta, Generic Viagra, Kamagra, Kamagra Jelly Oral, Forzest, Zenegra, Tadalis, Levitra, Generic Acomplia, Slimona, alli, Xenical, Generic Prilosec, Generic Prevacid, Generic Protonix, Generic Valtrex, Generic Zovirax has equivalent  quality, safety and efficacy in comparable with original brand. As all these Branded Generics are been manufactured by the FDA, WHO approved manufacturing units and acceptable globally since these branded generic alternatives are safe, best in Quality, effectiveness and are cost effective as compare to Brand Name Drugs.

What manufacturing standards are applied in the making of quality and safe generic drugs?
There is no basic difference between the Brand name Drugs manufacturing and for generic drugs. Both The manufacturing facilities of Brand name Drugs and generic drugs are regularly inspected and tested in terms of their Quality, safety by the US FDA, WHO, GMP and other relevant authorities during the process of manufacturing. The drug regulating authorities such as US FDA, WHO, GMP and other has a single quality standard for all drugs, both Brand name Drugs and generic drugs. The Generic drug manufacturing company gets a certified approval from US FDA, WHO, GMP and other relevant authorities for the Safety, Quality and potency of any generic version in comparison with the Safety, Quality and potency of Brand name Drugs before available for sale and distribution in any country.

Who are the Best known Generic Drugs Manufacturers in the World?
These are the Best known Generic Drugs Manufaturers Worldwide.