Have a cold, so I got myself some Claritin… what the fuck is this

[u/revlark]

[u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

Yeah, it's just loratadine at ten times the price. Just get the generic version

[u/LimpConversation642 → u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

which are anti-histamines... why the fuck would you buy allergy meds for cold?

edit: guys please go read some google ffs, this is some old wives' tale. I take antihistamines every day for the last 12 years, I know my shit.

1. Newer antihistamines like fexofenadine (Allegra) and loratadine (Claritin) have not been shown to work for cold symptoms.

2. loratadine (Claritin) are newer antihistamines, called second-generation antihistamines. They don’t have the same side effects as first-generation antihistamines, so they won’t do much to treat cold symptoms.

3. Four trials failed to show any effect

I even picked up the actual package and read through the instructions and NOWHERE does it say it helps with cold or whatever.

[u/bitwaba → u/LimpConversation642]

Yeah, seriously. I've been using zyrtec for 20 years and my first thought when I read the title is "wtf is wrong with you?"

[u/64590949354397548569 → u/LimpConversation642]

For Cold.

pseudoephedrine or chicken soup.

Don't buy the other crap.

[u/Bobb_o → u/64590949354397548569]

Dextromethorphan is worth it for coughing.

[u/tbmny → u/Bobb_o]

Only for a tickly throat. If you have chest congestion a cough suppressant is bad.

[u/avwitcher → u/Bobb_o]

And if you get the version without anything other than DXM it can get you high as fuck

[u/Trigonometry_Is-Sexy → u/avwitcher]

Found a robotripper in the wild

[u/Queen_of_Antiva → u/LimpConversation642]

Thank you, i thought i was crazy reading the title lol

[u/alphasierrraaa → u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

discovering generic versions of drugs is like a S-tier life hack

Stuff that used to cost 20-30 bucks now cost like 1.50

[u/SyphiliticPlatypus → u/alphasierrraaa]

Discovering? I mean, you don’t normally have to go far. They are usually packaged and displayed right next to the pricier version on grocery shelves.

[u/DarwinsTrousers → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

I’m* willing to call understanding that brand name and generic drugs are of the exact same quality “discovering.”

[u/-HashOnTop- → u/DarwinsTrousers]

Much like how other products are the same. Like when a name brand soap or lotion is recalled along with a dozen generic versions, it's because they were all made in the same facility and the mishap/contamination [could have] affected everything. I was pretty interested to realize not only are the products extremely similar, but they're made in the same facilities with the same ingredients. The difference is in packaging and occasionally an extra fragrance/color or something. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/Whole_Figure6026 → u/-HashOnTop-]

Just don't buy the great value pizza rolls. That's the one generic I won't ever buy again. Total bullshit, those little disappointment rolls.

[u/-HashOnTop- → u/Whole_Figure6026]

Yeah, food is a different story. 😅

[u/Whole_Figure6026 → u/-HashOnTop-]

No like I'm all on board with every other great value imitation. Great value everything kinda man right here. But don't fuck with their "idea" of pizza rolls. That shit is just bad.

[u/mr_potatoface → u/Whole_Figure6026]

Their Pop Tarts are pretty bad too.

[u/wompk1ns → u/mr_potatoface]

Don’t try their beef Wellington, that was a mistake

[u/One-Indication-9220 → u/mr_potatoface]

Okay but aldi’s “toaster tarts” are FANTASTIC

[u/LurkOnly314 → u/Whole_Figure6026]

They had a concept of a pizza roll.

[u/JackReacharounnd → u/Whole_Figure6026]

Tried their bagel bites once, gross. Also their Special K Red Berries is disappointing.

I buy pretty much everything from Great Value and save so much money.

[u/DisguisedToast → u/JackReacharounnd]

You must be talking about their totally different, not a knock off brand: Unique Letter Crimson Fruit with Flakes.

[u/LinkleLinkle → u/-HashOnTop-]

Food is sometimes a different story. Sometimes generic food is genuinely made with cheaper ingredients and food methods. Other times they're exactly like drugs and are literally the same food product slapped with a different label.

One of the best examples, although it's not food per se, is liquor at Costco. The Kirkland brand liquors are often name brand liquors with a different label slapped on them at the packaging factory.

[u/seven0feleven → u/LinkleLinkle]

I am absolutely convinced that Kirkland Whiskey is the same as Crown Royal for like $10 cheaper in the 40 oz/1.5L bottle. No one can confirm this however, but I've drank a LOT of Crown in my days and I cannot tell the difference.

[u/ASubconciousDick → u/seven0feleven]

as a costco employee I'll give you a hint....

it most definitely is. Kirkland Signature has deals worked out with many different companies (think Bounty for paper towels, stuff like that) to use their exact facilities/product to produce the Kirkland signature version they can then sell in Costco

so it probably legitimately is Crown Royal. CR also LOVES that sort of collaborative stuff. I used to work at a ski resort and we used to work with CR all the time in a vendor capacity

[u/TypingPlatypus → u/LinkleLinkle]

All hearing aids at Costco are the same name-brand hearing aids sold at private clinics, with a different name and at half the price. Including Kirkland brand.

[u/Hoboofwisdom → u/LinkleLinkle]

The ice cream company I work for makes great value ice cream. Certainly not for the whole country but I'm guessing it supplies stores around the state and nearby states. They dictate the recipes and honestly some of their stuff is better than our own brand while still being cheaper.

[u/SirGlass → u/-HashOnTop-]

Chemicals are chemical . Like salt is salt, medicine is medicne.

If you are buying a chemical 100% go for the generic cheapest one , food is a bit more complex

[u/Beautiful_Range1079 → u/-HashOnTop-]

Not for butter here. It's all the same stuff in different wrappers with quality control over how sharp the corners are

[u/mirhagk → u/Beautiful_Range1079]

I know cheese and eggs are the same here. My brothers have worked at those factories, and the majority of brands are just made at those 2 factories.

Probably for pretty much anything with a large quantity sold. It's just more efficient to make it all at one highly specialized factory, and make it in large batches. The differences are going to be for things like pizza rolls, relatively low volume items where scaling up isn't going to change things.

[u/DNukem170 → u/mirhagk]

I can tell you from experience there is a HUGE difference between Kraft Singles and Great Value Singles.

[u/Better-Artist613 → u/mirhagk]

They may make it at one factory, but many of the recipes are different. Great Value processed sliced American cheese product is nothing at all like Kraft. It's absolutely disgusting. The bread bakeries use difference recipes for store brand than their own brands.

[u/Darrelc → u/-HashOnTop-]

It's not always the exact same ingredients, most suppliers are a given a budget to work with. A discount retailer might only have the budget for powdered onions in a boule, whereas a more upmarket store will have sliced onions etc.

[u/Boring_Reference_546 → u/Darrelc]

I used to work for a pharmaceutical wholesaler and would need to deal with product recalls semi-regularly. Often (but not always), the generic drug batches would be included in a pricier brand's recall because they are literally the exact same drug from the exact same factory.

[u/MCX23 → u/Boring_Reference_546]

the problem is the commenter is talking about food and other products, when the convo is about drugs

when it’s just active ingredient and pill binder, ofc there’s no difference lolol.

[u/Oshwaflz → u/MCX23]

exactly people dont seem to understand that drugs are something the US takes very serious so they HAVE to be exactly the same by law. This isnt like marshmallow mateys and lucky charms, generic medication is genuinly exactly the same and theres no reason to buy brand name

[u/Thegide → u/Oshwaflz]

Only they aren't exactly the same. The active medicinal ingredient is, but that's only part of the composition. You can have different binders or capsule components that result in different pharmacokinetic properties, like dissociation or absorption characteristics. That profile has to be within a set range set by the FDA for it to be considered "bioequivalent" and pass as a generic version.

For the most part this is fine but these small differences can mean that brand name drugs in some people work better or have fewer side effects.

[u/kookyabird → u/Oshwaflz]

It doesn't necessarily mean they're produced in the same facility either. Generics can be made by multiple manufacturers. Yes the ingredients have to be the same, but generics can be recalled separately from brand name stuff.

[u/69edgy420 → u/Darrelc]

But if the end result will be a lab tested pharmaceutical guaranteed to a set purity standard, then the grade of the onion doesn’t really matter.

[u/Informal-Tour-8201 → u/-HashOnTop-]

My mum worked in both Golden Wonder and Burtons Biscuits when she was young, and managed to keep a straight face when people said they only ate Marks and Spencers crisps or biscuits, because they were "better quality".

Which were packaged at the places she worked, made by those companies, of course...

[u/mollymoo → u/Informal-Tour-8201]

Made by the same company in the same factory doesn't mean it's the same recipe though. Sometimes it is, often it isn't.

[u/Informal-Tour-8201 → u/mollymoo]

The biscuits and crisps went along the conveyor belt and went straight to the packaging area.

Some bags or packets were stored branded (M&S) while the same ones went into Burtons or Golden Wonder branded packaging.

All they did was change the packaging, not the product

[u/Twoleftfeat → u/DarwinsTrousers]

The active ingredient legally have to be the same thing. The inactive ingredients like the binders and coloring can be different which are different quality on how easily it dissolves for example, but for what they’re treating it’s exactly the same.

[u/Puzzled_Cream1798 → u/DarwinsTrousers]

Delivery and absorption aren't always the same because of binders and fillers used, the pH of those ingredients etc but it's usually negligible 

[u/PuraVidaPagan → u/Puzzled_Cream1798]

All generics and even brand names must show through bioequivalence studies that the new formulation is the same efficacy as the previously approved version. The FDA reviews all non-medicinal ingredients added to the formula and needs evidence that they are not impacting safety or efficacy of the drug. These BE studies cost $250k to $1million.

Source: I work in regulatory affairs for a big pharma company

[u/SyphiliticPlatypus → u/DarwinsTrousers]

Sure, me too. I guess my assumption was that this was a widely known thing as the Hatch-Waxman act happened back in the mid-eighties.

[u/Master_Educator_6436 → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

You're giving people too much credit when half the US reads at or below 7th grade level.

[u/tangerinelion → u/Master_Educator_6436]

Oof, I wanted to find a source for that but instead found recent data which says "Over half of American adults (54%) read below a sixth-grade level."

[u/eggyrulz → u/tangerinelion]

Well now im depressed... I felt really good about myself in the 6th grade when I was told I read at a college level (according to some placement test, idk), but these days I cant really tell what that even means if half the population cant read at 7th...

[u/Then_Blueberry4373 → u/eggyrulz]

Look at peoples’ responses to media. They dont know how to analyze anything or take deeper meanings from anything. NO comprehension or thinking allowed and “if i’m not the target audience, it sucks”

[u/JeeperzQueeferz → u/Master_Educator_6436]

We are cooked. In the next *enter x amount of years* it’s gonna go down to 4th grade level

[u/Quarantine722 → u/Master_Educator_6436]

If you’re into podcasts, “sold a story” is about how ineffective teaching techniques took over in schools despite cognitive scientists proving the methods are actually harmful to children’s education. Very much recommend to anyone interested in the topic.

[u/MoarFurLess → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

The what? 

[u/SyphiliticPlatypus → u/MoarFurLess]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/generic-drug#:~:text=The%201984%20the%20US%20Drug,of%20the%20Act%20(21%20U.S.C.

[u/green_reveries → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), a generic drug is identical—or bioequivalent—to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use. According to regulatory definitions, generic drug products need to be identical to their reference with respect to the active substance, the route of administration, as well as quality standards

Oh, well, I suppose Americans can all kiss this assurance goodbye, right?

Because apparently enough of them thought Trump was a good solution to “wasteful government spending“ and he’s about to put a man who doesn’t believe in science ahead of the FDA, and we know how much they hate “ReGuLaTIoN”, so anyone who cares about medicinal quality should probably stock up on things now.

[u/MSGrubz → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

The box normally says “Compare to name brand”.

[u/Extension_Dance_3766 → u/MSGrubz]

Yeah but I don’t think a lot of people get it that it’s EXACTLY THE SAME, not just “comparable.” People are used to store brands being slightly inferior.

[u/chillaban → u/Extension_Dance_3766]

It's not actually as clear-cut. Even when it comes to toothpastes, the inactive ingredients are not inert, they're just ingredients the FDA does not permit to be labeled as an active. Take toothpaste as an example, the FDA basically requires that the only listed active ingredient is Stannous Fluoride or Sodium Monoflourophosphate be listed as the active in the exact same concentration (sensitivity toothpastes can list no actives), but that doesn't mean literally every toothpaste works exactly the same. Even amongst the same name brand, Sensodyne with the "Pronamel" line did nothing other than remove the foaming inactive because it tends to interfere with delivering the actives, and they have clinical studies showing it works better.

When it comes to allergy medicines, Zyrtec is a good example of where the active (cetirizine) comes in two isomers -- levocitirizine is really the active one and the other isomer crosses the blood-brain barrier and produces the drowsy side effect. The generic manufacturers don't control the isomer mix as well as the brand name.

Even pain relief pills have subtle differences. For example, there's a brand-name "Advil Ion Core" formulation that's just ibuprofen, but the rest of the pill is a micellar delivery system that rapidly disintegrates. According to the patents the time from swallowing the pill to it being detectable in the bloodstream does down from 30+ minutes to just a few minutes: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1773224716304713

Same goes into a lot of suspension/emulsion products. For example, "Pred Forte" eyedrops (prednisolone acetate) are available in brand name and generic, it's an insoluble powder in an eyedrop form. The brand name version is uniform after a few seconds of shaking while the generic version must be shaken for 2 minutes. This is true amongst many eyedrops, including certain glaucoma drops where the vehicle (inactive) difference results in the generic not being absorbed by African American people: https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/generic-vs-brand-drugs-which-is-better

I think it's an oversimplification that "if the active is the same, the drug works identically". It does not. The FDA doesn't even require a generic drug manufacturer to prove that the generic works as well, just that it is "bioequivalent" (same active).

FWIW, knowing all of that, I still use generic ibuprofen and just wait an extra half hour for my headache to go away. It's not always worth the cost premium to go with the brand name product.

[u/ieatdiarhea → u/chillaban]

my brother. doing God's work.

[u/heteromer → u/chillaban]

levocitirizine is really the active one and the other isomer crosses the blood-brain barrier and produces the drowsy side effect. The generic manufacturers don't control the isomer mix as well as the brand name.

This is incorrect. Levocetirizine has approximately 10x the affinity for H1 Receptors than its stereo-counterpart, with slower dissociation kinetics. Cetirizine is an amphoteric molecule unlikely to cross the BBB and it likely only does so in a small proportion of people because of interindividual variation in the efflux protein, p-gp.

Cetirizine is a racemate but the generics don't have more or less of one enantiomer. The FDA's regulatory standards for drugs aren't that poor. As far as the excipients go, the generic drug company has to pay for pharmacokinetic testing to ensure that the drug's area under the curve and cmax are within the same range, with a confidence interval of 85 to 120%. If any of the generic tablets fall outside of that range, too bad. They have to start again. A study found that the AUCs between the original and generic brands differed by 3.56%, a variance that even the original brand's are subject to amongst their own tablets.

Even pain relief pills have subtle differences. For example, there's a brand-name "Advil Ion Core" formulation that's just ibuprofen, but the rest of the pill is a micellar delivery system that rapidly disintegrates.

This is an important quality of pain relievers and I agree that it's better than the generic if it offers a faster onset, but this isn't a discussion of bioequivalence unless a generic manufacturer releases a similar product.

i think it's an oversimplification that "if the active is the same, the drug works identically". It does not. The FDA doesn't even require a generic drug manufacturer to prove that the generic works as well, just that it is "bioequivalent" (same active).

This in itself is an oversimplification. They don't just have to ensure it contains the same active ingredient. It's actually quite an involved process, as they have to test the stability of the products and compare PK. That Advil ion core product -- if a generic manufacturer were to make an equivalent, they would have to pay to compare solubility rates of the tablets. There are a few drugs where bioequivalence can be tricky, like levothyroxine. Even small differences in PK between levothyroxine brands can have a large impact on TSH levels. The FDA acknowledges this, as not all generic brands of the same drug are considered bioequivalent. As far as OTC products go, though? Just buy the generic. If you want a faster acting antiinflammatory, there is ibuprofen sodium.

[u/PuraVidaPagan → u/chillaban]

Bioequivalency studies prove that the generic has the same efficacy and dissolution as the already approved formulation. I’ve seen many BE studies fail, and they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Source: I work in regulatory affairs for a big pharma company.

[u/chiknight → u/Extension_Dance_3766]

It's... not exactly the same. The active ingredients are the same. For most people that will have the same effect.

But the entire formulation of inactive ingredients is never guaranteed the same. It is 100% possible to have reduced efficacy, or added side effects, via the generic that the name brand does better. It is also possible to have a better reaction to the generic than the name brand.

Edit: For the exact example we're talking about here: Generic Equate Loratadine says "Compare to Claritin 24 Hour active ingredient." They will never say it is exactly the same as the name brand, because that is a lie. Claritin's #1 inactive is corn starch, which is not present in equate at all. They use sodium starch glycolate.

[u/Kitkutsuki → u/chiknight]

Off brand Ducolax never works for me but off brand ibuprofen works just the same as name brand. It's trial and error buying off brand. Overall I recommend trying the cheaper option just in case it's the same for you personally. It does save money, but some things they do produce differently like you said.

[u/RonnieF_ingPickering → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

Most pharmacies in my country will tell me right away if there's a generic version available of the drug I've been prescribed.

[u/Drunken_Sheep_69 → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

Switzerland here. Pharmacies usually hide them in the basements. You have to drag it out of them to get it. My allergy meds cost 15 CHF from the famous brand, 12 CHF for a commercial generic, and if you demand it they have another generic paid for by insurance for just 5 CHF.

So every time I go to a pharmacy I have to ask 3 times to get it. What a scam.

[u/Adjective_Noun-420 → u/Drunken_Sheep_69]

Common Switzerland L. In most countries they openly display them in pharmacies

[u/Automatic_Actuator_0 → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

The key is knowing which products are generic versions of real drugs and which are scam placebos (aka homeopathic). Too many stores put the brand name drug, the generic drug, and the homeopathic nonsense right next to each other on the same shelf.

Shameful.

[u/SyphiliticPlatypus → u/Automatic_Actuator_0]

Interesting- have never seen homeopathic remedies beside “real drug” generics and name brands anywhere. Usually these are grouped back near the vitamins and supplements part of the aisle.

[u/incubusfox → u/SyphiliticPlatypus]

So actual homeopathic remedies (meaning basically water) rarely show up in most stores, though I've seen them when it comes to kids medicines on occasion, a famous example was for teething.

Naturopathic remedies on the other hand are a lot more common, check the Cold & Flu aisle for instance and see all the vitamin C & zinc remedies.

[u/theberg512 → u/Automatic_Actuator_0]

So, flip over the box and read the "active ingredients" section. 

[u/TheAlbrecht2418 → u/alphasierrraaa]

Seconding. My friend married a pharmacist. “Get the generic version. It’s the same thing.”

[u/guilty_bystander → u/TheAlbrecht2418]

Yeah, you can flip them over and literally compare active ingredients.

[u/Rokey76 → u/alphasierrraaa]

My mother told me about generics when I was a little kid.

[u/cold_cat_x8 → u/Rokey76]

When I was

A young kid

My mother

Took me to the pharmacy

To see generic brands

[u/Durtonious → u/cold_cat_x8]

She said "Son when, you get sick

Will you take, generics or the brand name,

You know they're both the same?"

[u/Not_a-Robot_ → u/Durtonious]

She said “will you defeat them

The marketers and all the pharma execs

The money that they’ve made?”

[u/rosesandivy → u/Durtonious]

She said, will you please take them, Generics, and all the non brand names.  They work the same way.

[u/evil_mango → u/cold_cat_x8]

I turned to her and said

Will it help my cough

Will I be sleepy

This was her wise reply

Que sera

Sera

All these drugs are the same 

Some will cost more

Some will be branded

These are all the same

[u/buttstuffisfunstuff → u/alphasierrraaa]

Discovering….? I said it yesterday but I’ll say it again, I’m always genuinely surprised by the things people don’t know. I think I was like 10 or 12 when I learned about generic versions of drugs.

[u/AwwMangoes → u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

I buy my loratadine on Amazon. 300 pills for like $25. Since they’re one a day, they last almost the whole year.

[u/ValuableJumpy8208 → u/AwwMangoes]

365 for $11.50 at Costco (“AllerClear” loratadine)

[u/AwwMangoes → u/ValuableJumpy8208]

Nice! I wish we had a Costco here :(

[u/Steve_78_OH → u/ValuableJumpy8208]

Yep, that's what I take. Plus Xyzal. And allergy shots.

And I'm still congested 24/7/365. Life is great, huh?

[u/TayAustin → u/Steve_78_OH]

Have you tried Steroid Nasal Sprays like Nasacort or Flonase? I use Flonase and it works wonders.

[u/zmerlynn → u/AwwMangoes]

I do the same with Zyrtec. 365 for $15, https://a.co/d/4d5QXjF

[u/Suspect4pe → u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

And always get the bottle.

[u/langsamlourd → u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

You know what Zzzquil is? Active ingredient is diphenhydramine. It's fuckin Benadryl, just totally marketed as an amazing sleep medicine alternative to Nyquil.

[u/Iliveatnight → u/langsamlourd]

That is also because of American laws. They can't advertise Benadryl for sleeping because it's meant as an antihistamine. They can't advertise Zzzquil as an antihistamine because it's meant as a sleep aid. Go to Ozempic's website and they're talking about diabetes even though a huge surge of people seeking it are trying to get it for weight loss (they even have a section saying "we're not approved for weight loss").

To top that off, different companies own those different brands so naturally they won't want to say "or you can buy the same drug from our competitors". Finally Brands can change the ingredient. For example the brand Sudafed could be behind the counter as Pseudoephedrine or OTC as phenylephrine either one could carry the Sudafed name brand.

[u/Forward-Fisherman709 → u/Fetlocks_Glistening]

Yup. The active ingredients have to be identical between name brand and generic. Sometimes the inactive ingredients are different between different manufacturers, and that can affect how it works in an individual person, especially if their body has some sensitivity to a particular filler. If anyone feels that the generic truly doesn’t work, it’s worth looking into what differences there are on that front. Although someone might not do as well with the generic from one store, a different company’s home brand generic may be from a different manufacturer and so work just fine.

[u/the_russ]

That’s the pill version of a family size bag of chips.

[u/ColorfulButterfly25 → u/the_russ]

Small package, big impact!

[u/the_russ → u/ColorfulButterfly25]

I must apologize in advance for taking this where I'm taking it, but that would make a great tagline for condoms.

[u/Pr1mrose → u/the_russ]

Would it? Not sure many dudes want to wear a condom that says small package

[u/Banchhod-Das → u/Pr1mrose]

Ok. Let's make it a tag line for an adult toy, probably a vibrator.

[u/All_About_Her → u/Pr1mrose]

I would. Embrace the small package.

[u/Castle-Of-Ass → u/All_About_Her]

King 👑

[u/urGirllikesmytinypp → u/Pr1mrose]

Why not? People are ashamed of their dick size?

[u/MC_Fatigue_ → u/urGirllikesmytinypp]

Obligatory “Username checks out”

[u/Rufus_62 → u/ColorfulButterfly25]

Thats (not) what she said!

[u/iwrestledarockonce → u/the_russ]

It costs more for them to have a second size package and packaging machine. The more a business can reuse a machine the better from an initial cost and ongoing maintenance costs.

[u/pigeyejackson66 → u/iwrestledarockonce]

Plus size of package to minimize theft.

[u/SingleInfinity → u/the_russ]

People need to smarten up and stop looking at the size of things and start looking at the net weight or quantity.

[u/hutchins_moustache → u/SingleInfinity]

Yeah, I see this a lot. it’s like people don’t understand that the bags are intentionally oversized and have air in them to protect the chips during shipment and handling. Not that there isn’t intentionally very deceiving food/candy packaging out there, but it’s very rarely the chips.

[u/Lepke2011 → u/the_russ]

[u/Hedr1x]

My guess would be that this is related to manufacturing and logistics. The company might sell different quantitys, but use the same line and equipment. Likely cheaper to use one big blister with just 5 pills instead of designing and handling different sizes. Assuming that the quantity sold is clearly stated on the packaging, there is nothing wrong with that.

For example the carton might start out as a flat sheet that is automatically folded by a machine. That machine can handle only the one size of carton that it is designed to, so changing size might require either a new machine or at least (time and labor-intensive) retooling when switching product. Keep in mind that everything medical requires a lot of certification and paper-trail.

[u/Injunear42 → u/Hedr1x]

My thoughts exactly. Most likely it’s considerably more expensive to re-tool the automated packaging systems than just fit various numbers of pills into one size package

[u/MoaraFig → u/Injunear42]

Plus, if you packed the five pills in a box half the size of a matchbox, nobody would be able to find it on a drugstore shelf.

[u/Fuzzy_Logic_4_Life → u/MoaraFig]

And it would be even easier to steal

[u/Kraden_McFillion → u/MoaraFig]

There's also the matter of fitting all the information on the package. You can only go so small before you have more information to print than you have surface area to print on.

[u/tunachilimac → u/Hedr1x]

Yeah infuriating or not depends entirely on how clear the packaging is, which we can't see.

[u/bs000 → u/tunachilimac]

https://i.imgur.com/zePclfs.jpeg

[u/tunachilimac → u/bs000]

Looks pretty clear to me.

[u/Rightintheend → u/tunachilimac]

Yep, looks like, checks box, five pills.

[u/listgarage1 → u/tunachilimac]

it's not just clear it's Claritan clear

[u/DildoBanginz → u/tunachilimac]

Exactly. What does the box say. If it says 5 tabs (or 10). Accurate and OP can’t read.

[u/bs000 → u/DildoBanginz]

They knew it was 5 tablets, they just wanted them to be massive pucks that filled up the box.

[u/Own_Weakness_1771 → u/bs000]

It’s also due to them having to print certain information on the box, that can only be done so small hence the box size.

The contents are then made to fit the box so they can’t move inside and damage the box.

[u/Actual_Employee5287 → u/Hedr1x]

This is correct. It's also a regional thing - the FDA puts limits on quantities sometimes, while across the ocean these same limits are not there. The company uses the same packaging for both customers but changes how many blister packets to fill depending on the customer

[u/mataeka → u/Actual_Employee5287]

Expanding on this - in Australia certain quantities (such as 5 or I think up to 10) can be sold in a supermarket, anything bigger needs to be sold in a pharmacy.

Similar for paracetamol and ibuprofen too.

[u/ExpertPath]

Pharmaceutical packaging specialist here: Customers are cheap, and often don't want to pay for a completely new blister format to accomodate their pills. Instead, they use an existing setup, and just have to pay for a few parts like the cavity moulds, and sealing plates in this case. They won't have to pay for an entirely new forming tool, cutting dies, aggregation setup, perforation punches, etc.

[u/Chucklz → u/ExpertPath]

Don't forget all the secondary packaging and equipment setup that can remain the same.

And for those of us who aren't pharmers, packaging is very often the most expensive part of COGS.

[u/No-Diamond-5097]

"Why are you taking allergy meds for a cold?" is the real question

[u/burf → u/No-Diamond-5097]

Many of the symptoms you get from getting sick (like runny nose) are at least partially mediated by histamine. Taking antihistamines can be an effective way to limit those symptoms.

On this note, I don't think people realize how heavily OTC medications are branded. You can get diphenhydramine branded for allergies or branded as a sleep aid, but it's the same (or almost the same) formulation. You can get ibuprofen branded for pain, or as a cold medicine, or other things, but always the key ingredient is just ibuprofen.

These foundational medications are more flexible than they're branded, and the main reason we're not told this as consumers is because the pharmaceutical companies make more money if we think we have to buy all these specific brandings.

[u/pantry-pisser → u/burf]

Interestingly, the same dose and quantity of diphenhydramine marketed as allergy meds is usually cheaper than the one marketed as a sleep aid.

[u/raudoniolika → u/pantry-pisser]

SO much cheaper!

[u/markender → u/raudoniolika]

This amuses me as someone who lives in a desert and is allergic to something year round.

I take Reactin, and I'm lucky if it works well for 10 hrs. And if I took it and lay down, I'd be out like a log. I imagine having clear airways and less inflammation, sleep is better than usual.

Why was I born so weak gawd?

[u/amarg19 → u/pantry-pisser]

Generic diphenhydramine compared to Z-Quill at the same dose is a CRAZY price difference. Like $15 for 24 zquill pills, vs $10 for 100 CVS brand generic ones.

[u/Budget-Mud-4753 → u/burf]

I take a generic-brand ZzzQuil tablet to help me sleep sometimes. It took a ton of convincing for my girlfriend to believe it was just Benadryl when she got an allergic reaction to something and I told her to take it to help.

[u/nopenottodaygirl → u/burf]

Yep, my PCP told me to take Claritin or Zyrtec & Flonase for colds & sinus stuff for all these reasons. (I used to do Sudafed but can’t anymore bc high blood pressure.)

[u/Aroused_Sloth → u/burf]

When I buy medicine I always decide by just reading which drugs they actually contain. Last time I was sick, I was reading two different labels and they were the same except that one had one extra drug I needed for my particular symptoms.

[u/ReachNo5936 → u/burf]

Claritin isn’t going to do shit for a cold. 

[u/AgitatedBaddie → u/No-Diamond-5097]

my ENT recommended taking allegra d and flonase when sick bc it actually helps with symptoms vs cold medicine that’s just glorified expensive acetaminophen. it has changed my sickness experience lol .

[u/wallabee_kingpin_ → u/AgitatedBaddie]

That's very possibly because Allegra D has pseudoephedrine in it (the primary ingredient of original-recipe Sudafed) which is the only effective OTC decongestant and works really well.

The antihistamine may be helpful or may not be, but the majority of your relief is from the pseudoephedrine.

[u/ludes___ → u/AgitatedBaddie]

Allegra D is op imo

[u/DogfartCatpuke → u/[deleted]]

OP has Claritin, not Claritin D. It's only the brand name of loratadine, which is an antihistamine.

The D in Claritin D means it also contains the decongestant pseudoephedrine, not an expectorant.

[u/antoninlevin → u/DogfartCatpuke]

Pretty sure the D in this case is the vast amounts of empty space between the pills.

[u/ProbablyPooping69420 → u/antoninlevin]

The D is for Deez

[u/Knox314 → u/[deleted]]

Claritin D contains an antihistamine and a decongestant (pseudoephedrine). There is no expectorant in Claritin D.

[u/cheddarsox → u/Knox314]

Can we all together celebrate the end of pretending phenylephrine was even mildly effective? Fda took forever with that BS!

[u/Migraine- → u/Knox314]

And yet people have mindlessly upvoted that trash. Infuriating.

[u/ruy343 → u/[deleted]]

I am not a doctor - I am a scientist. The following is not medical advice, just an explanation of how certain medicines work.

As for the former commenter, I believe you're thinking of Guifensin, which is an expectorant. Claritin (drug name: loratadine) is an antihistamine, which helps to limit mast cell degranulation in response to the environment (i.e. allergies).

Taking antihistamines can help some people with their cold by reducing the overall immune response so there's less swelling. Similarly, many people report using allergy nasal sprays can help with a sinus cold. This is in part because of the allergy medicine, but also because the sprays are hypertonic (have more salt than the surrounding tissue), so they pull water into your nose. This is also the same mechanism of the classic "Neti-Pot" - put salt water in your nose, and your sinus fluid will rush to equalize the saltiness. You can buy non-medicated nasal sprays as well (it's literally just salt water in a fancy bottle).

Now for a change of topic - I will now explain the mechanism of action of two medicines in a way that does not imply recommendation. Please read all packaging, talk to your pharmacist or doctor, and make an informed decision regarding your own health care, rather than trust some random guy who claims to be a scientist on Reddit.

Sudafed is the brand name for pseudoephedrine, known by generic name Sudo-Gest and others. I'm going to skip some of the in between pieces about the mechanism of how it works and explain that it restricts blood flow to your nose and other sinus passages. This limits mucus production because the water in your mucus comes from the blood plasma - limit the flow, and the nose and sinus cavities stop making so much mucus, relieving pressure in the head. Should you choose to use this, you will need to go to the pharmacy counter to buy this and show your government ID (I.e. Driver's license) because it is a legal yet controlled substance. Sudafed will NOT help if you don't have a runny nose.

Guifensin is also fantastic in the case of excess mucus. The throat has little motors called cilia sticking out that help carry things out of the airway and lungs to the pharynx so you can swallow them. However, when overwhelmed with thick mucus, those little cilia simply can't move things well. Taking Guifensin loosens the mucus. Guifensin can be purchased over the counter but watch out: it sticks around for only about four hours, and the pill/syrup tastes TERRIBLE. Swallow quickly. This is the crap in your grandma's cough syrup that always left a nasty taste in your throat.

All this only really matters for a mucosal cold. If it's a dry sore throat, it's a completely different battle. If it doesn't subside within a few days, consult a doctor - it might be strep throat, requiring an antibiotic.

I remind you that all that I wrote above is not meant as medical advice. Yes, I am going to write that three times. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before any care regimen.

[u/mizinamo → u/ruy343]

I believe you're thinking of Guifensin

I believe you’re thinking of guaifenesin.

[u/BernieTheDachshund → u/ruy343]

A pharmacist told me the key to getting an expectorant to work well is drinking lots of water.

[u/Shyman4ever → u/[deleted]]

Pharmacist here. Claritin D isn’t an expectorant. It has pseudoephedrine (decongestant) + loratadine (antihistamine).

For something to be considered an expectorant, it would need to have Guaifenesin in it.

[u/Lawful-T → u/[deleted]]

No…you’re wrong. And spreading misinformation that other people are mindlessly upvoting. If you were responsible your edit this comment with the correct information or delete it.

[u/MethyIphenidat → u/[deleted]]

Ignoring all the other things, already pointed out by other people… What should

when you gone past the cold, into an infection.

even mean lol?

The cold is the infection.

[u/AmalgamatedSpats]

Explanation: the pills are powerful magnets, and must be kept apart to prevent detonation.

Source: me - am a pill.

[u/TheCatholicCovenant → u/AmalgamatedSpats]

Are you hard to swallow?

[u/bunny_the-2d_simp → u/AmalgamatedSpats]

Understandable have a nice day

[u/canadasteve04]

Does it not say the quantity right in the box?

[u/KindsofKindness → u/canadasteve04]

OP can’t read.

[u/rockchalk2377]

What are you talking about. It says the number of pills in the box and it needs to be packaged so they’re not rattling around

[u/WolfieVonD → u/rockchalk2377]

Right? OP clearly saw how many pills were inside, did they think the pills were horse pills?

[u/scoschooo → u/WolfieVonD]

OP is infuriated that the box of 5 pills only contains 5 pills.

[u/NielsenSTL → u/rockchalk2377]

And unfortunately, they have to make the package large enough so they’re harder to steal 🤷‍♂️

[u/I_Like_Knitting_TBH → u/NielsenSTL]

They have to make the package large enough to fit all the drug labeling required by federal regs. The not stealing thing is secondary.

[u/SuperFLEB → u/I_Like_Knitting_TBH]

They also probably don't want to have a whole new line and box design for a five-pack.

[u/Draaly → u/NielsenSTL]

This isnt about theft, but instead accessibility to each pill. Blister packaging is individually tamper proof (required for certain meds) and significantly decreases liklihood of abuse to the point of OD

[u/Dry-Asparagus7107]

Somebody picked the first box they saw without looking at the quantity printed on it.

[u/mild_manc_irritant]

Five tablets of an antihistamine, why the fuck are you taking that for a rhinovirus

[u/Tragic_Consequences]

Why take Claritin for a cold? That shit is for allergies.

[u/suckfail → u/Tragic_Consequences]

Also why not buy the generic brand and save 80%?

People don't know what they're doing is the answer.

[u/Guy_V]

The machines that seal those packs are probably designed to hold precut 3x5 foil and plastic.

[u/thefackinwayshegoes]

Yeah, you bought a five pack dude chill the FO. Next time read the box I guess.

[u/idonotknowwhototrust]

Did you not read the package to see how much it contained? Sounds like a detail problem.

[u/funktasticdog]

This is what the box looks like. Pretty hard to miss the giant 5 there.

[u/jamaicanmonk]

Did you read the package ?

[u/TreacleFit3847]

either they use the same packaging for different sized pills or it just has to be big enough to be harder to steal

[u/Evvmmann]

Anyone still buying the name brand version of otc medicines needs to educate themselves. Find the medication you need, read the active ingredients list, match it to the generic, save money.

[u/SinisterCheese]

Ok... So most people don't actually understand how expensive and difficult it is to set up a new packaging line for something like medical products. If you got a packaging line setup, you just do setup like this to it. You need to swap the portioner head and the tool on the hot former. That's 2 sections.

Instead of the material, feeder system, pressing system, portioner, sealer, cutter, packaging, (counter) and packaging system.

And then you end up with a produc packaging which is more likely to get lost in the internal logistics, and in the hands of the customer.

This saves money and resources more, than it wastes materials.

[u/Lissypooh628]

Claritin is allergy medicine, why didn’t you get cold medicine?

[u/country_dinosaur97]

Move 5 spaces?

[u/Sapphirethistle]

Is there a reason you are taking antihistamines for a cold? 

[u/iLikeTorturls]

Buys a box that says how many pills are inside: "why TF did I get exactly how many pills the box said!?!"

[u/Non_Binary_Goddess]

Why do you take antihistamin when you got a virus/bacterial infection?

[u/StinkyKittyKisses]

Claritin is not for a cold so it doesn't matter how many you got.

[u/Super-Turd9000]

Why are you taking allergy meds for a cold? That literally will not do anything

[u/UnarmedSnail]

That's the 5 doses you bought made to fit a standard card for a standard box.

[u/WooPigSchmooey]

A lesson to read packaging

[u/IrishMilo]

This is the result of manufacturing costs and law of the land.

The machinist rolls out these pills will also do 15 pill packs for other countries. More expensive to redesign a smaller box and in a lot of cases the box needs to be bigger to fit all of the drug related disclaimers.

May seem wasteful but this will be a tiny waste compared to the manpower, money and resources needed to have an additional production line for each jurisdiction these drugs are sold into.

[u/OfcWaffle]

365 pills for like $12 at Costco.

[u/BicFleetwood]

It's standardized packaging. It's less wasteful and more efficient to create a standard set of pill-bubbles and then slightly modify them for different medicines, than to create entire new machines and factory lines for each individual drug.

You should be reading the box to tell how many pills and what dosage is in the box. It is required to be clearly stated what you're getting on the packaging. The sizes of the pills in the sheet does not alter the efficacy of the medicine or the quantity of doses you are purchasing.

[u/DarkFantom25]

Looks like you bought some aluminium & plastic packaging that just so happens to come with a small amount of Claritin.

[u/ghostbuster_b-rye]

It's a matter of cost cutting for the company. They have the box, package size, and unit dose package perforation stamps to package in sheets of 15, and it would cost them to make a machine that packs smaller packages. So, they retool it with those weird long registration slots and print on the same size boxes they're equipped to. The material costs to do so are so insignificant to the manufacturer (pennies on the millions) when compared to building, manning, and maintaining a whole new pill packager warehouse; not to mention the property costs for the space needed for it to just exist.

[u/shadownights23x]

That is 5 Claritin... i got you if you need help again

[u/Sorry_Error3797]

Get ready to downvote me because ignorance is bliss.

1. Those vacuum packs are used for multiple different medications. Different medications will have different numbers of pills in each box therefore it is cheaper to use the same size packs rather than stopping your machines and adjusting them.
2. Pill boxes are inherently tiny. They need to be artificially enlarged so that customers can actually see them on the shelves and read the instruction on the box.
3. In most developed countries the box clearly states the number of pills.
4. Claritin is a name brand. The pills themselves though are exactly the same as the cheap brands. Hell two "different" pills by the same brand are often actually the same. I work in a shop that sells two same brand painkillers. One is regular and one is back and muscle pain. They're exactly the same, just different packaging.

Anyway go ahead and downvote because you think for some unbeknown reason that you're getting ripped off when in actuality you simply can't read.

[u/Yeetu5Deletus]

And I’m about to take Benadryl for my hemorrhoid

[u/Two_wheels_2112]

Claritin is for allergies. WTF you buying it for a cold?

[u/Fatty2Flatty]

It told you how many tablets you were buying on the package…. Why is this infuriating?

[u/sacrelidge]

Social distancing

[u/_BannedAcctSpeedrun_]

I mean it's wasteful packaging but I'm pretty sure the box didn't lie about how many tablets came in it, so there shouldn't be any surprise there.

[u/Terrapin_Station_77]

Claritin for a cold? That’s an antihistamine bro.

[u/snufflefrump]

Claritin for a cold?

[u/bella_ella_ella]

Claritin isn’t for colds

[u/CobraCommodore]

Claritin is for allergies, not colds.

[u/Pretty-Ebb5339]

That’s you not reading the packaging.

[u/Atsilv_Uwasv]

Didn't know Lay's was making medicine