Generic medicine FAQ

We’ve provided these commonly asked questions about generic medicines to help provide the answers you want to know.

Share this article:

Your questions answered: Teva's Generic Medicines

Download PDF version

Q. What are generic medicines?

A. A generic medicine is a medicine that is an equivalent substitute to a brand-name drug. Generic medicines contain the same active ingredient(s) as the original brand products, and are available in the same strengths and dosage forms as the originals. A generic drug works the same way in your body as the brand-name drug. 01

Q. What’s an Authorized Generic?

A. An Authorized Generic is a drug that a brand company produces under a New Drug Application (NDA) and then markets and distributes like a generic product. Because it is produced by the brand company, it is the same exact product even if it looks different and is often available at a lower cost than the brand-name drug. 02

Q. I have a brand-name drug; how will I know the generic drug name?

A. All brand-name drugs have a generic name. The generic name often appears next to the brand name and identifies the active ingredient(s) in the medication. There are some cases where the generic medicine may also have another name besides the active ingredient. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions.

Q. Will a generic medicine look like its brand-name equivalent?

A. Typically it will not. That's because the appearance of a brand-name drug may be proprietary to the original manufacturer, so the generic product might be required to be a different shape or color. But the active or key ingredient(s) must be the same. 01

Q. Is there more than one generic medication available for a brand-name product?

A. It's possible. Several generic companies may manufacture a generic equivalent. Some patients feel more comfortable choosing a generic by a company they trust. View our product catalog which lists all generic medications available through Teva.

Q. Are Teva generic drugs as safe as brand-name drugs?

A. The FDA will not approve a generic drug unless the manufacturer can demonstrate it works the same as the brand. The FDA continues to monitor the safety of both brand and generic prescription drugs throughout their post-approval use.

Q. How can I find out when a new Teva generic becomes available?

A. Sign up to receive periodic emails from Teva Generics so you can be notified when new generics become available from Teva.

Q. Where can I buy Teva medications?

A. Teva's generic medications are available in most retail and mail order pharmacies, across the United States. Just contact your pharmacy to find out if your medication is available as a Teva generic. If the pharmacy doesn't regularly stock a certain medication from Teva, ask if they can order it for you at no additional cost.

If you purchase your medication online, make sure that the website is a pharmacy in good standing both with your state board of pharmacy and with the state they are operating, is staffed by state-licensed pharmacists, requires a valid prescription to fill your order, and have a physical U.S. address and telephone number. Only 3% of online pharmacies are legitimate. You should be concerned about counterfeit medicines if you do not go through a real online pharmacy. Counterfeit medicines are fake versions of approved drugs that may not be safe or effective. They may have unexpected or even deadly side effects. 03

Q. Why are generic drugs cheaper?

A. Generic companies can offer their products to the public at considerably lower prices than brand-name drugs because generic manufacturers do not: 01

  • develop a medicine from scratch
  • perform lengthy, costly toxicological and clinical studies that brand manufacturers have already done
  • conduct expensive advertising and marketing programs

Often, the FDA will give approval to multiple generic drug companies to manufacture generic equivalents which increase the competition in the market, thus driving the cost down. 01 Of course, we still must show the FDA that Teva’s product performs the same as the brand-name medicine.

Generic manufacturers do not set the price at the pharmacy, so prices can vary between pharmacies. Simply contact your pharmacy to inquire about your medication cost, and be sure to tell your pharmacist if you have insurance.

Q. How can I find the price of Teva's medications?

A. Contact your pharmacy to inquire about your medication price because prices can very between pharmacies. Remember to tell your pharmacist if you have insurance, because insurance affects the price you pay.

We offer a broad line of affordable generic alternatives to brand-name medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about switching to a Teva generic that's right for you.

Q. Where are Teva products made?

A. As the largest generic manufacturer in the world, we are able to offer more generic prescription medications than any other company. In fact, one out of every nine generic prescriptions in the United States is filled with a Teva product! 04

We use approximately 30 different Teva facilities to manufacture our products. Many of our products are made in North America and by our parent company in Israel. 05 The FDA inspects each of our facilities (both inside and outside of the United States) to ensure our products meet the same FDA standards of good manufacturing practices as brand-name medications. 06

Footnotes

  1. Back to contents.

    FDA. Generic Drugs: Questions and Answers. Updated 06/04/2018. http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/questionsanswers/ucm100100.htm Accessed October 23, 2018.

  2. Back to contents.

    FDA. FDA List of Authorized Generic Drugs. Updated 09/27/2018. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/HowDrugsareDevelopedandApproved/ApprovalApplications/AbbreviatedNewDrugApplicationANDAGenerics/ucm126389.htm Accessed October 23, 2018.

  3. Back to contents.

    FDA. Be safe Rx. Updated 02/13/2018. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/BuyingMedicinesOvertheInternet/BeSafeRxKnowYourOnlinePharmacy/ucm294170.htm#risks Accessed October 23, 2018.

  4. Back to contents.

    IQVIA NPA Data (as of MAT March 2019) on file at Teva.

  5. Back to contents.

    Internal Data on File

  6. Back to contents.

    FDA. Facts about Generic Drugs. Updated: 06/04/2018. http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/buyingusingmedicinesafely/understandinggenericdrugs/ucm167991.htm Accessed October 23, 2018.