Generic vs branded medicines: what “same salt” means

Walk into any chemist and you will find several brands for the same medicine, often at very different prices. The reason is the salt, the active ingredient that does the work.

Brand name and salt name

Every medicine has a composition printed on the pack, for example “Paracetamol (650mg)” or “Telmisartan (40mg) + Metoprolol Succinate (47.5mg)”. The brand name is what a company calls its product. Two brands with the same salts, in the same strength and the same form, are meant to work the same way.

Why prices differ

Brands differ in marketing, packaging and company pricing. Prices are also shaped by price controls on many essential medicines, which is why the MRP is printed on every pack and no pharmacy may charge more than it. Read more in MRP explained.

What to check before switching

• Same salt or salts, with the same strength per tablet or per 5 ml.
• Same form: a sustained-release (SR, ER, PR or OD) tablet is not the same as a regular tablet.
• Same route: a syrup is not a drop, and a cream is not an ointment.
• For some medicines, such as those for epilepsy, thyroid or blood thinning, doctors may prefer you stay on one brand. Ask before switching.

How substitutes work on MedMate

Every medicine page on this site lists other products with the same composition. If your pharmacy does not stock a brand, the pharmacist can offer a same-salt alternative, but only with your consent. You always see the price before you agree.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Always take medicines as your doctor or pharmacist advises.