Nurofen: why we buy brand names when generic drugs are cheaper - and do the same thing

The placebo effect is one big reason why consumers pick branded medication over their generic equivalents

Nurofen’s UK owner Reckitt Benckiser has been ordered to stop selling certain products after it was found to be marketing identical products for different types of pain (AP)

Nurofen’s UK owner Reckitt Benckiser has been ordered to stop selling certain products after it was found to be marketing identical products for different types of pain.

While the case raises specific questions about Nurofen’s labelling, branded medicine is usually more expensive than generic equivalents.

The Independent compared the prices of the following branded drugs with a Boots-own generic equivalent. Where Boots did not offer an exact equivalent, we have adjusted the prices accordingly.

The table shows that branded medication always costs the consumer more for a generic equivalent that could do the same job.

The branded form of a drug costs more as the company need to recover the large costs associated with developing a drug.

Once the patent on the original version of the medicine runs out, other companies are free to make their own version, and as they don’t bear the original development costs they can sell it much more cheaply.

The placebo effect is one big reason why consumers pick branded medication over their generic equivalents, according to Neal Patel, Royal Pharmaceutical Society spokesperson.

“The well-known placebo effect plays a part in improving pain relief when people believe the medicine they are taking will work for their pain. The placebo effect is one reason why people may choose to buy a more expensive product even though it may be identical to cheaper versions,” he said.

Dr Aomesh Bhatt, regulatory and medical affairs director for Nurofen, said that consumer research indicates that 9 in 10 people look for pain relief for a specific type of pain such as headache or back pain, while 7 in 10 say pain-specific packs help them decide which product is best for their needs.

Neal recommended talking to pharmacists to navigate the claims that different products make about their effectiveness for different types of pain.

Pharmacists know if the active ingredient and formulation are the same, then the clinical effectiveness will be the same too.

Nurofen’s active ingredient, Ibuprofen, provides mild to moderate pain relief for a variety of pain problems, for example headache, toothache and period pain.

All UK medicines are strictly regulated for safety, efficacy and quality, Neal said, regardless of whether they are branded or generic.