How We Source and Verify Generic Medication Information

When we publish information about generic medications on this site, we’re making a claim about bioavailability, therapeutic equivalence, and regulatory standing. That claim needs to hold up. Here’s how we work to get it right.

Primary Data Sources

We pull from regulatory filings and published pharmaceutical research rather than secondary summaries. The FDA’s Orange Book gives us the baseline for therapeutic equivalence ratings in the US market. The European Medicines Agency’s database serves the same function for EU-approved generics. We cross-reference against national formularies in markets we cover.

For bioavailability comparisons, we rely on published bioequivalence studies. When a generic manufacturer submits an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA), the supporting bioequivalence data becomes public record. We don’t cite studies we haven’t read.

Verification Against Published Research

Generic equivalence isn’t opinion. The FDA requires that a generic drug has the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand name version, with bioavailability within 80-125% of the original. We verify these thresholds are met before we say they are.

When we cover specific medications in our guides and health articles, we check against peer-reviewed pharmacology journals and clinical trial data. If a generic has different inactive ingredients that matter for certain populations, we note that.

Updating Information as Standards Change

Pharmaceutical regulation moves. New generics enter markets. Manufacturing locations shift. We flag articles that cover specific medications or approval timelines so we can revisit them when the landscape changes. If we’ve published something that’s now outdated, we update it and note the revision date.

What We Don’t Do

We don’t make clinical recommendations. We don’t replace conversations with your doctor or pharmacist. We don’t cite press releases as evidence. We don’t assume that because two drugs are bioequivalent, they’re identical in every real-world scenario for every person.

Our role is to explain how generics work and what the data actually says, so you can have a more informed discussion with your healthcare provider.