[Generics: essentially similar, bioequivalent but not identical]

The using of generic forms (GF) is presented as a potential source of budgetary "saving of money" in the field of pharmaceutical expenses. Not frequently prescribed in Belgium, they win a new interest thanks to the recent making use of the "reference repayment". Sale's authorization of GF is controlled by european rules, but some questions about their identity to original medications remain. Do similarities based only upon qualitative and quantitative composition in active molecules, pharmaceutical forms and biodisponibility give us all requested guarantees? Several cases of discordances can appear: the major elements of non conformity are the nature of excipients, notice's contents and the value of biodisponibility studies. However, in term of economy, in the drug market, development of GF appears to constitute an unavoidable phenomenon.