Are generic medicines as safe as the original product?

Yes. Generic medication works in exactly the same way and are just as safe and effective as branded medicines. The Medicines Control Council (MCC) of South Africa requires that all medicines, whether brand-name medicines or generic medicines, meet the standards of safety, strength, purity and effectiveness. For a medicine to be marketed under a generic label, the manufacturer must be registered with and comply with the MCC standards and regulations. The MCC sets up the guidelines and requires strict testing in order to ensure that generic medicines are the same as the original product. Generic medication are currently being manufactured and sold by many reputable SA and multinational companies and have been used safely worldwide for many years.