# Poll: How do you feel about generic drugs?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-generic-drugs/371737>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 7, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-generic-drugs/371737 "2006-09-07T02:08:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-generic-drugs/371737/41 "2006-09-08T15:59:28Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=niblet\_head]  
Can you tell me what the difference is here?  
[/QUOTE]

Exactly the same as Celexa/Lexapro. Esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium) is the left-handed form of Omeprazole magnesium (Prilosec).

Again, I do believe that the two drugs can affect people in different ways. I do have a degreen in chemistry, and the ‘handedness’ of a molecule often does affect its properties. But just because Prilosec is older and now over-the-counter and much much cheaper does not mean it’s an inferior medication.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-generic-drugs/371737/42 "2006-09-08T16:01:02Z")

</div>

I recently started on an acid-reflux drug. Went to pick it up and they said “That will be $45”. I said, “Jesus!!! don’t you have a generic?” Unfortunately they didn’t. But I’m a cheap bastard. I’ll choose generic every time it’s available.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-generic-drugs/371737/43 "2006-09-08T19:34:22Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Anne Neville]  
I know what they are- they’re lists of medications that are covered under your health plan. I got a copy of the formulary from my insurance when I wanted to switch birth control pills.  
[/QUOTE]

Well, sort of (or at least for me). My prescription plan had 3 tiers:

Generic – copay 10  
Formulary Brand Name: Copay 20  
Non-formulary Brand name: Copay 40

Then, the following year, it switched to:

Generic: 25%, max of $75  
Formulary Brand Name: 50%, max of $75  
Non-Formulary Brand Name: 75%, max of $75

My medication was something like 400/month retail cost, and the formulary meds were 300/month, so either way I was going to pay $75 (plus $5 for prepapation H), and so I chose the medicine my doc recommended (the non-forumlary).

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-generic-drugs/371737.md?page=2)