Why Only Generic Pain Pills

Updated

Hi there,
Can anyone tell me why pharmacies only dispense the generic version of the pain pills I am prescribers by my pain management. (Norco and Lortab). The pharmacies say they don't have it in stock and unable to order it. Same answer from the Hospital pharmacy. They say generic is all they dispense. WHY! Is this true?
The reason I ask is because a pharmacy technician told me that the big greedy drug companies give their people a 20% field of margin of what they can use. We can all be sure it's not the actual drug we need. Generic has always felt lacking to me. I dont think it used to be this way. When I lived in Washington State, it seems like we had our choice. I know we are being cheated of what we are getting. Is this even legal?
Does anyone know if my questions are true, and what options I have?
Thanks for your help,
Lucy

2 Replies

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1

Hello! How are you?

No pharmacy is obligated to carry the name brand of anything, or anything made by any particular manufacturer. Many do so, as a courtesy to some customers that can't take generics, but it's entirely up to them. They also can't order it, if their supplier doesn't offer it.

Unless you're paying cash for a prescription, or your doctor specifies that you can only be given the name brand, you will always be given a generic. Most insurance companies will only cover a name brand medication, if there is a special valid reason to do so. If you are paying for them yourself and want the name brand, you are free to try other pharmacies to see who carries it.

And no, I think that pharmacy technician misunderstood the law. Under the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984, a generic is allowed to differ from the name brand by as much as plus or minus 20% of the active ingredient. They can't vary it to be a completely different medication, it's only the amount that can vary, it must remain therapeutically equivalent. The FDA considers that an acceptable therapeutic window.

I am, of course, fully aware that it does create problems for some people, especially if you were taking one made by a certain manufacturer for a long time, then are suddenly switching to one that's slightly lower or higher in the amount of the active ingredient.

Nothing I've said is really comforting in this situation, but these are the ways the laws currently stand.

What state are you living in, now? There may be some different law there that I am not aware of, but since you didn't mention it, I can't research it.

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Ruth, due to the high cost of brand name meds and the fact that only in certain situations will insurance companies pay for the brands, most pharmacies do not stock them. If a pharmacy orders them, which any pharmacy can, and you don't pick them up, they are stuck with them.

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