Eli5: what is the difference between a generic drug to the original drug, and why do some doctors will swear by the original drug?

Question

Eli5: what is the difference between a generic drug to the original drug, and why do some doctors will swear by the original drug?

In: 1046

Answer 1

Depends on the drug, but generally it comes down to profit motive and taking advantage of the fact that the general public does not have the knowledge to find alternatives.

Doctors get paid to recommend some branded products over others. Since you can’t identify alternatives, you do what they recommend. The companies who make the branded drug often charge 2-3x the price as the generic equivalent, so they can afford to pay the doctor. The patient uses insurance, and that insurance company is fine with it because they can charge higher insurance premiums to the patient, and to government.

So essentially, insurance companies, drug companies, and doctors all make more money, at the expense of patients and government (aka the general public).