The cases for and against prescribing generic drugs: don't take innovative research based pharmaceutical companies for granted.

The cases for and against prescribing generic drugs: don't take innovative research based pharmaceutical companies for granted John M Cruickshank In a cost conscious society the research based pharma- ceutical company is increasingly being portrayed as a profiteer and the company manufacturing generic drugs as a cutter of costs to the NHS. Clearly such an extreme view is both shortsighted and wrong, particu- larly as unreasonable profits are prevented by the direct control of the Department of Health. In putting the case for prescribing drugs with brand names both medical and economic arguments have to be con- sidered.