- 1. What is Generic Medicine
- 2. What are Authorized Branded Generic Drug?
- 3. Difference Between Generic and Branded Drugs
- 4. How are the generic drugs cheaper than the branded drugs?
- 5. Generic Hepatitis C Medicines
- 6. What are Some Hep C (Hepatitis C) Generic Medicine Available in India
- 7. Indian Generic Harvoni [Ledipasvir And Sofosbuvir]
- 8. Indian Generic Harvoni with Different Brand Name
- 9. How to Access generic Hepatitis C medicines from India
What is Generic Medicine
Generic medicines are the same exact copy of brand name drugs that costs 30-80% less than the originals. Generic drugs are equivalent to the brand’s name or original drug in dosage, strength, route of administration, performance, quality and intended use. The difference between generic drug and brand name drug is, only the difference is in their names and the price. A generic drug must contain the same active ingredients as the original brand name drugs.
Generic drugs makers don’t face the same cost as the manufacturers so they are sold for the lower price than their branded. The brand-name maker who invented the drug already had invested in manufacturing that drug, so the generic companies induce much less cost in creating the generic drug. Generic drugs are cheaper because it does not include drug discovery and drug development and therefore these are affordable.
A generic drug, in terms of dosage, safety, strength and quality, works in the same way as the brand-name drug does, so the intake should be the same.
Inventing or creating a drug requires more time and money hence they are very expensive. Whereas generic medicines are the exact same copy of the brand-name and cost much lesser.
At present, India is the leading generic drugs manufacturer that provide cheap generic medicines across the world.
What are Authorized Branded Generic Drug?
Authorised generics are sold under license from the patent holder. Authorised branded generic medicines are pharmaceutical products which are the same exact copy of inventors brand. Under New Drug Application (NDA), the brand name company prescribes the authorized generics which has been made after the brand name. The color, shape, and marking might vary as the brand name drugs but the chemical compositions and the ingredients are exactly the same.
Difference Between Generic and Branded Drugs
However, there is no much difference between the brand-name drug and generic medicines except the appearance. The dosage is same as both are made of same compositions. Generic drugs may vary in case of:
Shape
Color
Packing
Labelling
The main patient’s concern regarding generics medicines is the quality and performance of the generic drug is same as compared to the brand-name drug?
The answer is YES.
The basic requirements of generic drugs:
● Same active ingredients as of the branded one.
● Same route of administration
● Same dosage from
● Same strength
● Same condition of usage
How are the generic drugs cheaper than the branded drugs?
It costs much in inventing a new drug, so the branded drugs are way expensive. A manufacturer’s costs for the launch of a new branded drug include money for research and Large-scale testings, advertising, marketing, and promotion. Whereas generic medicines cost much cheaper than the branded once. Generics are cost effective and have same efficacy, safety and quality.
Source: Association for Accessible Medicines
Generic medicines available for various disease:-
Diabetes
Cancer
Hepatitis
Heart disease
Kidney
Generic Hepatitis C Medicines
Generic medicine of Hep C (hepatitis C) treatment are those drugs which are helpful for the treatment of hepatitis C in lesser cost. These medicines are cheaper than the original or say the branded one and the results are the same.
In a breakthrough that rivals the invention of generic medicine that cure hepatitis C, with minimal side effects and high success rates, have reached almost everywhere. But, in what must be one of the greatest tragedies of modern times, these life-saving Hep C medications are not being deployed on a mass scale. People don’t have access to these course of brand name direct-acting medicines due to the high cost. In many countries, the brand-name Hep c cure drug costs about $94,000 per patient. However, the mass production of generic hepatitis c drugs versions are available for less than 1% of the retail price of the brand name drug.
According to the studies, the United States, Canada, Africa, Australia, Europe and Southeast Asia found the direct-acting generic drugs sofosbuvir (Sovaldi), ledipasvir, daclatasvir (Daklinza) and ribavirin (Rebetol) were as effective as brand-name versions.
In the United State, a patient who spends $94,000 over a full course of brand-name medicines can obtain the same in for less than $1,000 on generic medicines.
Countries such as India, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Brazil and Morocco manufactures Generic DAAs under the voluntary license agreement of the patent holder companies.
Generic hepatitis c medicines all over the world
The generic version of the new hep c medicines has become available in a number of developing countries. There are several new medicines for Hepatitis C (Hep C)
What are Some Hep C (Hepatitis C) Generic Medicine Available in India
In India many pharmaceuticals companies of international repute that manufacture the generic drugs for Hepatitis C treatment in India. Some of the companies like Natco Pharma which is a leading name in the pharmacy world have signed a pact with Gilead Sciences for the manufacture of the generic versions of hep c medicines for the cure of Hepatitis C, an ailment that can prove deadly if not diagnosed and cured. Natco the manufacturer of the generic medicines like a combination pill called Harvoni also has the distributorship rights about these medicines in 91 developing countries of the world. The company also has the generic license for Sovaldi [sofosbuvir] apart from the combination pill called Harvoni that is actually a combination of Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir. Gilead sciences underwent the licensing deals with seven other Indian pharmaceutical companies. By these deals, all these drug manufacturers will be able to set their own versions of the price range for the generic versions of such pills and pay the royalty to Gilead for the sale of such generic drugs. Sovaldi pill price range in the US is quite high and it goes up to USD 84000 for the treatment of 12 weeks.
Indian Generic Harvoni [Ledipasvir And Sofosbuvir]
Indian generic Harvoni is a combination of Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir in the proportions as decided by the pharmacy experts. Although you get the desired effects of cure as a patient of HCV but it is also important for you to know the unwanted effects. Some of the more common side effects are cough, diarrhea, headache, irritability, strength loss, muscle pain, nausea, trouble in breathing and sleeping, unusual weakness or tiredness. Some of the less common side effects are discouragement, dizziness, sad feeling, empty feeling, appetite lacking, pleasure loss or interest loss and trouble when it comes to the concentration.
Indian Generic Harvoni with Different Brand Name
Hepcinat LP: Hepcinat LP is one of the versions of generic Harvoni and s sold under the brand name Hepcinat LP tablets. The two active ingredients in this are Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir and these are in quantity of 400 mg and 90 mg respectively. You can get the dosage in the bottle of 28 tablets. In India, this particular generic drug is manufactured by Natco pharma. The effective property of this particular drug is the polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir+ledipasvir and that is quite effective for the treatment of the patients having the Hepatitis genotype 1 to 4. Treatment with this generic drug is approved by FDA as far as the HCV infection is concerned. As per the clinical studies, there are extremely high results because of the intake of this particular generic drug when it comes to Hepatitis C.
Ledifos: Ledifos is an another generic drug version with the different brand name that is also used for treating chronic Hepatitis C virus also called the HCV and it is used for the cure in certain patients who are suffering from this ailment. Ledifos is a mix of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir is actually a combination of two HCV antiviral agents. The prime impact of this generic drug is that it reduces HCV amount in the body and it does this by prevention of HCV spreading inside the body of the patient. This particular drug is sold under the brand name Ledifos manufactured by Hetero Healthcare Ltd India and comes in a pack of 28 tablets. The proportion content of the ingredients in this particular generic drug is Ledipasvir 90mg and Sofosbuvir 400mg. This drug works on an action mechanism with ledipasvir acting as a potent inhibitor and other ingredient sofosbuvir acts as a nucleotide analog inhibitor. You can take this as a combination tablet with fixed dose and this has to be taken in proper consultation with the doctor.
Myhellvr: This is a combination drug for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C and contains the proportions of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir to the tune of 400 mg and 90 mg respectively. This is in the list of prescription medicines and there is a requirement of the medical prescription for its dispensation.
How to Access generic Hepatitis C medicines from India
Named patient import: In many countries government allows people to import generic direct antiviral drugs minimum of 3-month dosage for their personal use with certain terms.
HIV and Hepatitis C buyers clubs: A new option to access the treatment
Several generic drugs are already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization and many of the companies are willing to export their generic medicines version in Europe and North America. Online purchase of generic medicines will take hardly 10 minutes and will benefit to the buyers as the prices are falling rapidly.
In line with Article 60, many countries provide some form of personal medication importation. India, China, Egypt and Bangladesh are exporting medicines to other countries around the world.
Getting Generic Harvoni from India
Hep c patients gets generic versions of such hepatitis c drugs directly from India at comparatively much lower prices. One such example is the sofosbuvir/ ledipasvir. All the slashed prices by various companies are just below 1000USD in India. This is a big relief for the patient keeping in mind the extremely high price of the original Harvoni.
It is quite important to understand the Indian system as far as the purchase of generic Harvoni is concerned. These days the world is going global and getting the generic version online from India is not an impossible thing. Today, people from different parts of the world getting these life-saving generic hep c drugs from the trusted reliable Indian supplier that directly ship to their doorstep or patients can also travel India for the affordable treatment
India is an excellent destination for global Hepatitis C patients
India is an excellent destination for the treatment of Hepatitis c virus because the generic version is available here at a slashed price. This is a big relief for the international patient as well. Not only that, the overall treatment for this ailment in India is world class and things are done with extreme care for the Hepatitis C patient in the hospitals. The international patient has all freedom to check the authenticity of the generic versions from the manufacturers and pharmacists in India.
If you have any query about generic medicine in India, contact me. I’m here to help you. You can contact me on WhatsApp + 918851226314 or send me an e-mail dev@generichope.com