Medicine Basics
10 medicines
The fundamentals nobody explains: generics, bioequivalence, quality and supply.
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Are All Generics Really the Same? Bioequivalence, Fillers and Why a New Pack Can Feel Different
Generics must prove bioequivalence to the brand, but the rules leave room for real differences in fillers and release. Here is what is actually controlled, what is not, and when the difference matters.
Are Indian Generics Safe? The Honest Answer About the World's Pharmacy
India manufactures a huge share of the world's generic medicines, including much of what Western pharmacies dispense daily. The honest safety answer is mostly yes, with real exceptions worth understanding rather than fearing.
Expired Medications: What the Military's Own Data Shows About Old Pills
The date on the box is a legal minimum, not a cliff. A decades-long government study found most drugs stay potent for years past it, with a short list of dangerous exceptions. Here is what actually happens to old medicine, and when to bin it.
Ireland's Drugs Payment Scheme: The Monthly Cap Most Families Underuse
No Irish household should pay more than the DPS monthly cap for approved medicines, yet plenty pay more through unclaimed caps and brand choices. Here is how the scheme, reference pricing and generics actually interact.
Is Your Medicine Real? Spotting Falsified Drugs in Nigeria and West Africa
Falsified antimalarials and antibiotics circulate widely in West Africa, and the estimates of how many range from 13 to 70 percent. Here is how fakes reach the market, and the checks that actually catch them.
Melatonin: Why a Smaller Dose Works Better, and the Jet-Lag Trick Nobody Explains
The gummy aisle sells melatonin in 5 and 10 mg doses, but the evidence points to a fraction of that, and to timing over quantity. Here is how melatonin actually works, the dose that suits most people, and how to beat jet lag with it.
Metformin for Longevity: What the 2026 Data Actually Changed
A cheap diabetes drug became the longevity world's favourite pill. Then a 21-year study found it did not lower the burden of chronic disease. Here is what metformin really does, what it does not, and who it is honestly for.
Pill Splitting: The Honest Guide to Halving Your Medicine Bill
A higher-strength tablet often costs about the same as a lower one, so splitting can halve the price per dose. It is a real saving for some drugs and a genuine danger for others. Here is which pills you can cut, and which you must never touch.
South African Medical Aid, Chronic Medicine and the Generic Co-Payment Trap
Your medical aid must cover chronic medicine for listed conditions, but insisting on the brand when a generic exists is what triggers most co-payments. Here is how PMBs, the chronic list and reference pricing really interact.
The Heartburn Pill That Is Hard to Quit: PPI Rebound, and How to Come Off Safely
Proton pump inhibitors are not addictive in the usual sense, but stopping one can trigger a wave of acid that feels exactly like the reflux coming back. In healthy volunteers who never had heartburn, about 44 percent got symptoms after stopping. Here is why that happens, and how to come off without the rebound trapping you.
How medicines are approved, copied, priced and checked, explained so the fine print stops being fine print.