There is much public confusion regarding the legality of generic medications. Often the advice given is to seek cheaper generic versions of medications when buying any treatment either prescription or not. On the other had the internet is awash with warnings that customers should avoid generic medications. So what is the real situation with generics and when are they safe or even legal to buy?
The key factor is the patent expiry date. When a treatment is launched the manufaturer that made it is awarded a ten year exclusivity license to sell the treatment. During this time the pharmcaceutical can recoup the investment they made to get the drug through development, testing and cleared for sale. Until the patent has expired it is illegal to produce and sell a generic copy of the treatment.
This is the case with treatments such as Viagra, which is currently under patent. For now it is illegal to manufacture a copy of Pfizers viagra. It is also illegal to distribute, prescribe or sell it in most countries around the world except India.
When will generic sildenafil citrate be legal? The answer is when the patent expires in March 2012. Until then the only generic versions of Viagra available are the ones manufactured in India, where there are no independent checks on the quality of the medications.
Although in most cases you would be better off buying teh approved generic versions of medications it is first vital to check if the license for the original medication has run out. If not then make sure you ONLY buy genuine branded treatments.