Journal of Developing Drugs
Open Access

Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline oral tablet is available as a generic drug. It’s not available as a brand-name drug. Amitriptyline comes only as a tablet you take by mouth. Amitriptyline oral tablet is used to help relieve symptoms of depression.

Amitriptyline is a prescription drug. It comes as a tablet you take by mouth. Amitriptyline oral tablet is not available as a brand-name drug. It’s only available as a generic drug. Generic drugs typically cost less than brand-name drugs. Amitriptyline is used to help relieve symptoms of depression.

Amitriptyline can cause dizziness and drowsiness during the first few hours after you take it. If you notice drowsiness while you take this drug, your doctor may have you take your dose at bedtime.

Many people become concerned because generic drugs are often substantially cheaper than the brand-name versions. They wonder if the quality and effectiveness have been compromised to make the less expensive products. The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) requires that generic drugs be as safe and effective as brand-name drugs.

Actually, generic drugs are only cheaper because the manufacturers have not had the expenses of developing and marketing a new drug. When a company brings a new drug onto the market, the firm has already spent substantial money on research, development, marketing and promotion of the drug. A patent is granted that gives the company that developed the drug an exclusive right to sell the drug as long as the patent is in effect.

As the patent nears expiration, manufacturers can apply to the FDA for permission to make and sell generic versions of the drug; and without the startup costs for development of the drug, other companies can afford to make and sell it more cheaply. When multiple companies begin producing and selling a drug, the competition among them can also drive the price down even further.

So there's no truth in the myths that generic drugs are manufactured in poorer-quality facilities or are inferior in quality to brand-name drugs. The FDA applies the same standards for all drug manufacturing facilities, and many companies manufacture both brand-name and generic drugs. In fact, the FDA estimates that 50% of generic drug production is by brand-name companies.

Another common misbelief is that generic drugs take longer to work. The FDA requires that generic drugs work as fast and as effectively as the original brand-name products.