There is currently a bit of confusion over generics and brand drugs, as many believe generic medicine is worse or does not offer the same benefits. This way of thinking is beneficial only for the big manufacturing companies selling brand name products at high prices. The truth is – there is no difference between the two kinds of medicine, quality-wise. Every drug contains certain active ingredient responsible for the effects on the body. The active ingredient is identical in both generic and brand variants of the medicine. Generics are commonly sold under the name of the active ingredient they contain, as using the brand name can be considered copyright violation. Creating generic drugs costs considerably less, this is why the customer pays a much lower price. Producing a brand name medicine means the company has to pay for advertising, marketing, research, clinical trials and other things that are included into the final price, as the result, branded drugs cost several times more than their generic counterparts. So, to sum up, generics are the same drugs as brand name medicines, but the consumer ends up paying a lot less. And while for some people brand medicine is the matter of status, for others generics are only way to afford costly treatment.