Myths about prescription drugs are some of the most prevalent myths in our society, with millions of people swearing that the myths are true. While believing these myths will not often harm your health, it may be harming your finances by causing you to spend much more than you should on your prescription medications. Knowing the truth about prescription drugs can save you a ton of money over the course of a year. Here are some of the things that you should know.
You May Not Need Everything Prescribed To You
Many people would be surprised to learn that they do not always need all of the medications that are prescribed to them by medical professionals. This is because some conditions can be managed by changing your diet or exercise regimen, but many people have difficulty sticking to these lifestyle changes and opt to pop a pill instead. If you are interested in limiting the amount of medications you must take on a regular basis and are willing to make lifestyle changes to improve your health, make sure you discuss this with your doctor and any other medical specialists you may be seeing. Sticking to your lifestyle changes could save you hundreds in prescription costs each year.
Brand Name Drugs And Generic Drugs Must Be Structurally Identical
Many people hold on to the mistaken belief that brand name drugs are more expensive because they are of a better quality. This is not true, especially in the United States where laws dictate that generic prescription medications must contain the same active ingredients in the same quantities as the brand name medication it is copying. That 85 percent increase you are paying for the brand name item is for the years the original company spent researching and developing the drug. Generics companies can manufacture and sell the drug at a fraction of the cost at the end of the exclusivity period because it does not have any research costs that have to be recouped.
New Drugs May Not Be Better Than Older Formulations
A number of people also believe that recently released drugs are better for treating a condition than drugs that have been around for a long time. While improvements are being made at a rapid pace in the drug industry, that doesn’t mean that your body will respond better to a newer drug rather than an older one. In fact, older drugs are often considered safer because they have been out longer and more data has been collected on their side effects and interactions with other drugs. In many cases, people only try the newer drugs after all of the similar older drugs have failed to produce the desired effects.