The market for medicines (hereinafter - drugs) is currently oversaturated, and choosing the right drug is a rather difficult task, given the recent reforms of the pharmacy system of the Russian Federation. Whatever they are due to: increased cases of the manufacture of narcotic drugs, toxic poisoning, drug overdoses, and this is not a complete number of reasons … Meanwhile, self-medication is a big and unconscious problem (in relation to the Russian Federation). Medicines and their cheap analogues are often used uncontrollably: doctors can only shrug their shoulders and complain about the policy of commercial pharmacy chains. Where there is commerce, profit is primarily pursued, not human he alth.
Samples from pharmacies
A separate problem for many families is the high cost of foreign and original drugs and the search for cheaper analogues coming from pharmaceutical factories in Russia and India. For example, the popular table of cheap drug analogues (see below) offers patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia a number of options: Penester (Zentiva), Proscar (MSD Int.) - more expensivemedicines, and cheaper ones - "Finasteride" (OBL - Russia), "Finast" (Ranbaxy - India). The cost of more expensive drugs in the foreseeable future is about 600 rubles, cheaper ones - 300 rubles. Meanwhile, the officially declared composition is identical for all four drugs.
| Medication | Price in RUB(approximate) |
Cheapanalogue |
Price in RUB(approximate) |
| "Aspirin Cardio" | 125 | "Cardiask" | 35 |
| "Bepanthen" | 280 | "Dexpanthenol" | 140 |
| "Betaserk" | 400 | "Betaver" | 140 |
| "Zovirax" | 240 | "Aciclovir" | 40 |
| "Jodomarin" | 220 | "Potassium iodide" | 100 |
| "Claritin" | 225 | "Clarotadine" | 110 |
| "Mezim" | 300 | "Pancreatin" | 30 |
| "Omez" | 180 | "Omeprazole" | 50 |
| "Sumamed" | 370 | "Azithromycin" | 60 |
| "Fastum-gel" | 455 | "Fast" | 30 |
| "Ersefuril" | 400 | "Furozalidone" | 40 |
Why then do we doubt?
Cheaper drugs with the declared composition and effect, similar to a more expensive drug from the same pharmacological group, are called generics. Attention should be paid to this concept: it leads to the conclusion that, for example, mustard plaster is not a generic of Finalgon, since they do not belong to the same pharmacological group, although they have a warming and distracting effect. Thus, not all drugs with a similar effect are cheap analogues of expensive drugs. The table selected for saving on a particular group of drugs must be verified and recommended by the Ministry of He alth.
Can drugs be substituted?
The question of the problem of self-treatment was raised at the beginning of the article, but it affects not only the policy of pharmacies, but also characterizes the situation with medical care in general. Compared to the Western system, where even aspirin cannot be bought in a pharmacy without a prescription, our system is far behind. And the point is not in aspirin itself, but in how a person receives it: like aspirin, so, for example, Tramadol, which is also included in the list of cheap drug analogues. There is an adequate alignment in which a person gets an appointment with a doctor and receives a prescription for the necessary drug. And there is inadequate - when a person cannot get to the doctor because of queues, difficulties with documentaryarranging the day off from work that has taken self-medication so far and maims so many people like ours.
That is why many are forced to "prescribe" drugs to themselves, becoming a kind of home doctor. By the way, a very risky comrade … Not having completed the necessary training and not knowing how dangerous even everyone's favorite "No-shpa" (or its generic - "Drotaverine") can turn out to be.
Drugs and their cheap counterparts. Table on the refrigerator instead of a doctor
In most cases, self-substitution of drugs has a positive effect on the wallet of the client who went “against the system”. It is traditionally believed that the mark-up on drugs is due precisely to the system of their implementation, and the lion's share of this percentage belongs to the advertiser. Doctors and pharmacists have nothing to oppose against this argument. However, when it comes to new drugs that have recently appeared on the market, substitution can adversely affect the outcome of treatment (not to be confused with self-medication!). Cheap analogues of expensive drugs will not be relevant here, a table with possible inexpensive options in this case can only be offered by a doctor.
For example, the antibiotic "Vancomycin" is highly effective against hospital strains of microorganisms that are very resistant to the effects of old drugs, and sooner or later they will learn to resist him. And in a situation where the patient urgently needs antimicrobial therapy, cheap analogues of drugs,prescribed instead of the original antibiotic will only hurt. An outdated antibiotic will not only not help, but will harm the patient. In response to the systematic administration of obsolete drugs, the patient will develop even more resistant strains, as well as prolong the duration of the disease, and increase the level of exhaustion of the body due to temperature and complications caused by certain bacterial toxins.
Drugs and their cheap counterparts. The table is still for doctors?.
It would seem that he alth is a necessary thing, and it is impossible to save on it. But many people cannot afford to get sick these days. Drugs began to cost indecently expensive because of the long-suffering ruble exchange rate and inflation. And most people think that saving a little is not such a big sin. But how not to be mistaken? Of course, to understand why some drugs are cheap and others are expensive.
- Analogues with different active ingredients. The effect of these substances is identical (analgesic, antipyretic, hypotensive). However, the substance whose action on the body causes this effect has a different chemical form in two different preparations. Such drugs should not be confused with interchangeable ones, and in case of complex diseases, it is better not to replace it yourself.
- Drugs with the same active ingredient. This is exactly what drugs and their cheap counterparts are. A table with a list of such drugs is, for sure, every pensioner and economical housewife. The pharmaceutical market often serves an advertised and less well-known version of the same drug. Take, for example, the well-known drug "No-shpa" and its analogue - "Drotaverin". The difference in price here is provided only by the ergonomics of the drug. Not everyone will want to overpay the difference by 10 times just because the No-shpa tablets are packed in a beautiful box with a dispenser - "ideal for a lady's handbag." There are quite a lot of such options now, and we need to learn to distinguish between empty and empty and not take what is not needed, but is expensive.
Different manufacturers, different prices
Another factor affecting the price of a drug is its manufacturer. Here, the effectiveness of analogues with the same composition and different manufacturers is a very controversial issue. This issue is raised because of the high cost of production of the active substance. Cheap analogues of drugs from one manufacturer and expensive ones from another is a matter of brand and trust in it. The fact is that many manufacturers deliberately reduce the dose of the active substance in order to increase the batch. Due to this, they can afford dumping prices. Those who are primarily concerned with the he alth of their customers, and not with sales, cannot go for this move. Therefore, their product will always be more expensive.
Confusion with counterfeit
But if the picture was that clear, all issues would be resolved in the blink of an eye. The biggest damage to our he alth and wallets is caused by the shadow market, which offers dubious counterfeit products under the guise of the original. Everything is counterfeited: drugs and their cheap counterparts. A table with Vital and Essential Drugs - and that did not remain untouched.
Your own doctor
The difference in the mentality of citizens of different countries is the reason for writing many books and articles that reflect their history. In Japan, when applying for a job, for example, they will be surprised why you did not bow to the employer three times. And Americans will be shocked by our seemingly ordinary thing: go to the pharmacy for paracetamol to bring down the temperature. They simply cannot imagine how a person without a medical education can decide to take something, and how a pharmacy will release, for example, preparations analogous to Tanakan. Cheap drugs table (list) in their country will be considered the property of doctors. With us, this is the property of home-grown "doctors".
Thus, we can conclude that few Russians divide money into two piles: for pills and for the last bread. However, many want to “treat cheaper and on their own” without thinking about the consequences. Well, the pharmacy will always win, but whether we win the game with it is an open question …
