Generic drug:The term "generic drug" can refer to different aspects of medications:It can mean the chemical name of a drug.It can describe the chemical composition of a drug, as opposed to the brand name under which it is sold.It can apply to any drug sold under its chemical name without marketing.For instance, "Diazepam" is the chemical or generic name of a drug. Some companies sell it under this generic name, while others sell it under brand names like Valium or Vazepam. Drugs marketed without brand names, known as generic drugs, are usually more affordable than their brand-name counterparts, despite being chemically identical. They conform to the same FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) standards for safety, purity, and effectiveness. In the US, generic drugs can be produced legally if the original drug's patent has expired or if the drug was never patented. Once a patent expires, the patent holder's exclusive rights to license the drug's sales are removed.
