drugs
Bioequivalence and Interchangeability of Generic Drugs
Evaluation and approval procedures
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluates every generic version of a drug. The FDA approves a generic drug if studies indicate that the original brand-name drug and the generic version are essentially bioequivalent. The FDA also makes sure that a new generic drug contains the appropriate amount of the active (drug) ingredient, that it is manufactured according to federal standards (Good Manufacturing Practices), and that the generic version differs from its brand-name counterpart in size, color, and shape—a legal requirement. 