Branded versions of medication will usually be more expensive than the non-branded versions. Whilst both contain the same active ingredient, companies producing the branded versions tend to charge more. When a medication is produced by a pharmaceutical company, they have a license to be the sole producer of that medication for a certain period of time; this is known as a “patent”. Once the patent expires, other companies can start to manufacture the same medicine as non-branded versions, bringing the cost of the medication down. It is a good idea to ask your prescriber whether they have prescribed the branded or generic version as we are unable to dispense the generic if you have been prescribed the branded, so this will need to be amended by your prescriber on the actual prescription.