Generic drugs barely existed a half century ago. In 1960 fewer than one out of ten prescriptions was filled with a generic. Today, that proportion has almost flipped. Generics fill all but one out of six prescriptions. Anyone who takes medicines regularly chooses between the two. Most of us have very little idea of what's involved when we make that choice.
In a new book, Dr. Jeremy Greene has traced how generics came to be, how they are regulated, what the issues are and new issues cropping up with high-tech drugs. He's called the book, "Generic: The Unbranding of Modern Medicine." Dr. Greene is an associate professor of medicine and holds a chair in the History of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He joins Sheilah in the studio.
Dr. Greene will be speaking about the book at the Ivy Bookshop Stage of the Baltimore Book Festival on Saturday at 1 p.m.; more details here.