The objective of scientists working on a new medication is not only to find new methods of decease treatment, but also the aim to make this medication cheaper and available for wider range of customers.  Production of generic medicine – a full copy of brand medicine became a very nice solution for this problem.

For example, are there any distinctions between a well-known aspirin and acetylsalicylic acid? Well, of course there are:

1. Aspirin was invented and registered by a well-known German pharmaceutical company Bayer, acetylsalicylic acid is the full copy of the chemical formula of aspirin, which is produced by a couple of dozens of pharmaceutical companies in the world.

2. The original company spent a couple of millions dollars, whereas the producers of generic acetylsalicylic acid had only to copy the formula and test it.

3. The producers of aspirin have spent big money on commercial advertising of the product, before the world found out about aspirin magic.  However, the acetylsalicylic acid became well-known due to the popularity of aspirin.

A general pharmacy customer will not be interested in such details.  The most important issue for him/ her is the price of generics.