[Original drugs or generics: how to choose?]

The paper elwcidates the issue of interchangeability of original and generic preparations. Based on the analysis of the current literature, the authors claim that the trials which are conducted at the state registration of medical preparations to confirm the pharmacokinetic parameters do not always testify to the similarity of therapeutic effects of original preparations and generics. The choice of antiepileptic drugs remains an important issue due to the wide prevalence of the disease, the need for the long-term therapy and the narrow therapeutic index of basic preparations. The results presented in the paper suggest an extremely cautious approach to the use of generic drugs in the treatment of epilepsy because of the possible destabilization of disease course. The authors conclude that there is a need for creation of a database on interchangeability of original and generic preparations that will be available to the broad medical community.