Assuming insurance and cost is not a factor, if your doctor prescribes the generic form of a particular medication, can you request the Pharmacy to use the brand name instead? Or is the Pharmacy obligated by law to fill the script with the generic as the Doctor prescribed.
For example, the doctor gives you a prescription for the generic drug Warfarin. But you prefer the brand name drug Coumadin. Will the Pharmacy fill the prescription using the brand Coumadin if you request it?
2007-10-24 13:55:08 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Other - Health
The ONLY time this matters is if the doctor has written for brand-name medication and indicated on the prescription "Brand Medically Necessary". Then, legally, the pharmacy can only dispense the brand-name medication unless they speak with the doctor and have it changed. Otherwise, you can pretty much change it back and forth at any time (but please don't lol).
Generic medications contain the exact same active ingredient (the medication that makes the pill worth taking, ie the warfarin sodium) and the only difference between brand and generic is the materiel they use to bind the pills and give it color, which are fairly inert. Generic medications are tested to make sure they behave the same way as the brand medication, according to things like rate of absorption, potency, etc, before they are even allowed to be released. There are a few exceptions where a switch from brand to generic or vice versa is not recommended if you have been taking one or the other for a period of time, namely levothyroxine (synthroid/levoxyl)
2007-10-25 04:51:24 · answer #1 · answered by fignutalicious 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They should be equivalent so it shouldn't be a problem requesting the brand name. *At least they say it's equivalent*
If they can fill the prescription with a generic drug for the brand name then why couldn't it be the other way around.
2007-10-24 14:01:22 · answer #2 · answered by Sabrina 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The pharmacy will honor your request for name brand if you are willing to pay the difference in cost.
2007-10-24 14:06:27 · answer #3 · answered by Dogchic 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you want brand, and you ask, you'll get it. It doesn't matter if the prescription is written for generic or brand. However, brand is always more expensive than generic.
2007-10-25 04:10:13 · answer #4 · answered by Lea 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
IT'S YOUR CHOICE! IF YOU WANT THE PHARMACY TO FILL BRAND NAME JUST SAY THE WORD.
2007-10-24 15:04:05 · answer #5 · answered by PATTY 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋