Lawrence Brothers Pharmacist Bill Long, with more than 50 years experience, talks about the trends to more generic medications which offer comparable efficacy at a better price. “Most generic formulations are AB rated and are comparable to brand name medications, in fact many are actually produced by the same manufacturer.” The bottom line is: generic can provide the patient the best medication and cost savings. Bill says unless a Physician indicates “No Substitutes” a generic can often be provided. AB-rated drugs are drugs that meet the necessary bioequivalence standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A generic drug is considered bioequivalent to a brand-name drug if it contains the same active pharmaceutical ingredient as the branded drug, and if there is no significant difference in the formulation, quality, and effectiveness of the two drugs. Many third party payers of prescription drugs (e.g., health insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid programs) have adopted policies to encourage the substitution of the lower-priced AB-rated generic drugs for the higher-priced branded drugs, when an AB-rated generic drug is available. Take the time to ask your Pharmacist to discuss your medications and these topics with you.