"You may be interested in learning more about generic drug concerns. Would you like a copy of the Sankar and Glauser paper?" The attractive drug rep smiled. Who could quarrel with "no substitutions should be made for people with epilepsy without the knowledge and approval of the prescribing physician"? Generic drugs account for more than 50% of drugs sold, even in China. Are we being cheated?
Which companies can we trust?
BP has repeatedly chosen dangerous policies that increase profits. Their Texas City, TX refinery exploded in 2005, killing 15 workers. BP was fined but still behaves irresponsibly. They released toxic gases in April 2010, rather than shut down the refinery, saving money but probably harming neighbors.
What about generic drugs? My hospital, a safety net hospital with many uninsured patients, has big budget problems. One major drug is the anticonvulsant levetiracetam (brand name Keppra). We call it LEV. Twenty-six generic forms of LEV are licensed. Our pharmacy buys a batch of whatever is cheapest, every 6 weeks or so. My patients say, look, now I’ve got orange pills, triangular pills, etc. I say don’t stop taking it.
Pundits condemn simplistic quick-fix voters. I’ve got good news, bad news, and sobering news.