# Are brand-name painkillers/flu remedies a total rip off? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773 "2012-01-07T23:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/21 "2012-01-08T20:48:01Z")
> [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](#): > > Excedrin Migraine and regular Excedrin is the same product, but the Migraine version costs more I have been using Excedrin for years and years and I have never seen a difference in price between the different Excedrins. You are correct in that they are identical. > [@](#): > > So, there are only a few drugs that brand vs. generic really matter. They are the drugs with a very narrow “therapeutic index”, or where the level isn’t enough, just right, or too much, is very very small. The only RX drugs where this makes a big difference is Thyroid drugs (Levothyroxine vs. Synthroid), I have been using generic Synthroid since the early 90’s and my levels have always been very steady. All of my doctors have prescribed the generic. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/22 "2012-01-08T20:52:28Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I have noticed that Nyquil tastes better than the CVS brand. So there’s that… > It’s not enough to get me to buy Nyquil though. If, like me, you like your Nyquil-equivalent with REAL pseudophedrine, Walgreen’s brand still has it. You have to ask for it at the pharmacy and do the whole driver license/body cavity search thing, but you can still get it. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/23 "2012-01-08T21:22:01Z")
I guess Turek posted while I was working on my answer. What I find hilarious is the label on the Dollar General cough medicine says ‘‘Compare to NyQuil ingredients’’ I have, NyQuil is little more than acetaminophen, while the DG stuff still has the regulated, cough suppressing stuff you can make meth out of. Before I discovered that, I had to take enough acetaminophen to endanger my liver to stop my cough and get some sleep. Note my ENT prescribed Nexium saying I had just enough acid reflux to irritate my throat and make me cough. My insurance company refuse to pay for Nexium. I now take generic OTC Omeprazole. Note, my son woke up feeling lousy one morning. He grabbed some money and ran across the street to buy some relief. NO ID, no cold remedy. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/24 "2012-01-08T21:31:41Z")
There’s a huge difference but you aren’t going to see it unless the product is used correctly. With Robitussin, for example, you have to make sure the active ingredient “Tussin” has sufficient time to work its way into the bone. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/25 "2012-01-08T21:42:10Z")
Well, Bufferin is buffered aspirin. Now, buffered aspirin is very good for those with sensitive stomachs, and often Bufferin is the only buffered aspirin on the shelf. But in general, the generic is the same as the brand name. But do check the label! ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/26 "2012-01-08T23:38:18Z")
I never use buffered aspirin if I can help it; it doesn’t seem to work as fast. The only medication I stock are cheap aspirin, Benadryl, and store brand night-time-cold knock out stuff. Nothing but aspirin works for my head-aches, store brand Benadryl doesn’t seem to work as well, and I actually haven’t bought the Nyquil knock offs in a couple of years (due to flu vaccines or single malt scotch, I don’t need it anymore). ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/27 "2012-01-09T00:24:49Z")
Just an anecdote, sample of one, but I found that the Paxil brand works for me, and some of the generics, one in particular, do not. The one that I especially noticed did not work well was the first go-to generic for the pharmacies; I’m guessing it was the cheapest. I used to specify not that brand, but sometimes it was all they had. I read on line that the company had some legal issues over quality control on another product, so I’m surmising they might have other problems. Now I ask my doctor to please specify Paxil, no substitutions, and everything’s fine. It costs a whole bunch more, even after insurance, but it’s better than the alternative, which is Not Pleasant At All. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/28 "2012-01-09T00:40:44Z")
> [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](#): > > The name brand products are pretty much a rip off. I don’t know about over seas (the whole paracetamol thing gives you away, over here we call it Acetaminophen), but it is all pretty much marketing. I’d say the £ and p gave it away to me, but yes- the same does hold in the UK; the same regulations for purity hold for both the generic cheap stuff and the name brand, and you’re getting the same active ingredient either way. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773/29 "2012-01-09T07:19:19Z")
> [@j666](#): > > Theoretically, there should be no difference in the medications. However, these facilities have their own quality systems; even contracts with the Name Brand companies can not ensure identical systems. While each company is responsible for implementing their own QC programs, a brand or generic company that contracts out any part of its development or manufacturing is heavily involved in the process specifically so as to ensure consistency and quality. The parent company will often audit the contract company frequently; often once a year or more. The FDA and equivalents will audit at every phase and every 2-3 years on site as well as continuously review documentation.Method transfers involve extensive studying and robustness and repeatability proof before the method can be used to make or test the product. There is no statistical or real issue with a lack of consistency across manufacturing plants. > [@](#): > > In additions, the manufacturers typically do not make the active or inactive ingredients; they buy them. Control of suppliers and raw materials can vary lot between facilities, and between medications made for different labels within a facility. > > In short, there can be significant differences in quality, purity, and strength in different brands and different lots of the “same” medication. Name brands are not necessarily better - google Johnson & Johnson warning letter if you have any doubt about that. Ingredients and raw materials are purchased from various suppliers but not a single batch of raw material goes into manufacturing without passing quality control of some sort. These ingredients are about as pure or high quality as you could ever want. Quality, purity and strength are consistent and reproducible to within 2%, which is the legal requirement for nearly everything. The variations that you claim exist simply dont. I’ve worked in quality control pharmaceutical roles for Brand Name, generic, in house and contract products. In short, you are incorrect. Individual errors, mistakes and problems leading to recalls are very much the exception and not the norm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-brand-name-painkillers-flu-remedies-a-total-rip-off/608773.md?page=1)