FAQ

Do I need a prescription?

Yes, please send us your prescription to info@theswisspharmacy.com

I cannot find the medicine I require on your website, can you source it for me?

We are well connected to pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers; we can supply nearly all non controlled drugs. If you wish to order a medicine which you cannot find on our website, please contact us. Let us know the active ingredient and/or the name of the product. We will write back to you within 24-48 hours.

What is a generic medication?

A generic drug (generic drugs, short: generics) is a drug which is produced and distributed without patent protection.  A generic must contain the same active ingredients as the original formulation. It is considered bioequivalent to the original brand name counterpart with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. By extension, therefore, generics are assumed to be identical in dose, strength, route of administration, safety, efficacy, and intended use.

Does a generic medication differ from a brand name drug?

Not much, actually. But there is a difference, of course. To see the difference more clearly we have made a table:

Comparison points	Comparison	Details
Active ingredient	same	Whether a manufacturer produces drugs which are protected by patent laws, or generic drugs - the standards are the same. The ingredients are the most important element. The ingredient in the drug that helps cure you, or make you feel better, is called the "medicinal" or active ingredient. Both generic and patented brand name drugs must have the same amount of good quality medicinal ingredients,  bioequivalence must be proven.
Effect	same	The active ingredient is the same, and therefore the effect produced by both - patented version and generic product - is the same.
Name	different	Generic medications can not be sold under the same brand name as the one which is protected by patent laws.
Shape	different	The shape of a pill is protected by copyright of the innovator of the patent product. Thus the shape and size of a generic product may differ.
Color	different	The color of a pill is protected by copyright of the innovator of the patent product. Thus the color and size of a generic product may differ.
Price	different	Generic medicine is much cheaper than  the branded one which is protected by patent laws.

Why are generic pills cheaper than the brand name ones?

The principal reason for the reduced price of generic medicines is that the creation of the generic drug runs up less cost and therefore a lower price can be offered and still maintain profitability. Manufacturers of generic drugs are mainly able to avoid the following two costs that brand name pharmaceutical companies incur: (1) costs associated with the research and development of the drug; (2)  marketing costs. First, Generic manufacturers do not incur the cost of drug discovery and instead reverse-engineer existing brand name drugs to allow them to manufacture bioequivalent versions. Second, generic manufacturers do not bear the burden of proving the safety and efficacy of the drugs through clinical trials - rather, generic manufacturers must prove the generic drug’s bioequivalancy to the existing drug. Third, these companies receive the large benefit of the marketing and advertising that goes into pushing the innovator drug. The brand name drug has to prove itself in the eyes of the consumer, generic ones do not. The drugs that generic manufacturers are selling have been on the market for usually a decade or more and do not need additional advertising. For the same reason, generic manufacturers also do not give away sample doses to promote their products. The significant research, development and marketing costs incurred by the large pharmaceutical companies in introducing a new drug to the market is often cited as the reason for the high cost of new agents - they wish to recover these costs before the patent expires. Generic manufacturers do not incur these costs, with bioequivalence testing and manufacturing costing relatively little, and are able to charge significantly less than the brand.

Is your medicine approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)?

The medicine we ship is produced in India. We only supply drugs from well known and reputed pharmaceutical companies, which are all approved by the Indian FDA. The Indian FDA has the same high standard as the FDA in the USA, or any European FDA.
The active ingredient is always approved by the health authorities of the countries we ship to.

Are you a licensed Swiss pharmacy?

We operate under the law of the Singapore and India, all orders are sent from our licensed partner in Singapore and India. We do not supply any medication from Switzerland.

Can minors order from you?

We only accept orders from patients above 18 years.

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