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The National Center for Health Statistics reports that 45 percent of people in the United States used at least one prescription drug in the previous month. Prescription drugs are a significant expense in health care. Generic drugs help reduce this expense, and offer a safe and effective treatment for many common medical conditions.

Facts about generic drugs:

  • Generic drugs are available for the treatment of most health conditions and are subject to a lower copayment or coinsurance.
  • Generic drugs are safe and effective when used as directed.
  • Generic drugs are equivalent to their brand-name counterparts in safety, dosage, strength and effectiveness.
  • Generic drugs meet the same standards set by of the Food and Drug Administration for brand-name medications.

Generic Alternative Program (GAP)

The GAP promotes generic use for select medical conditions by providing a free first fill coupon for you to use. If you have one of the following conditions, talk to your doctor and ask if a generic medication is right for you.

Effective Generic Options

  • Effective Generic Options (PDF)
    This list highlights generic and brand-name medications used to treat common medical conditions. Switching to generic drugs can help reduce your costs, while providing the same safety and effectiveness as brand-name drugs. We encourage you to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about generic medications, and whether they’re right for you. Please refer to your Providence formulary for a complete list of covered medications.

Food & Drug Administration (FDA) resources

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Quality and Costs

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