Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Drugs with two letters after the name are a scam.

Interesting point from The Consumerist:

What do those little letters, CD, ER, SR, etc, after a drug's name mean? The exact terminology varies, but they usually translate to the same thing: unnecessary ripoffs.

Whether it says CD, CR, ER, LA, SR, XL, XR, or XT, the letters really stand for a version of the drug that releases differently into the body. By coming up with different variations on old drugs, pharmaceutical companies can keep the profits rolling on drugs whose patents have expired. Best of all, if they can get the doctor to write one of these letter sequences after the drug's name, the pharmacy can't substitute a lower-priced generic (unless a generic of the extended release version is already on the market).

The pharmaceutical companies are so dastardly. Even so, The Coozer Files recommends you discuss your medication needs with your trained health care provider and/or drug dealer.

2 comments:

Abby said...

Isn't this the same technique used by publishers when they release 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc., editions of textbooks?

Adam Coozer said...

You know, comments like that fit the definition of paranoia, according to my new DSM IV Fourth Edition with Special Desk Reference.