Pharmaceutical manufacturers announced the formation of a coalition that will raise awareness of the category of Authorized Generic medicines. The Coalition for Authorized Generics will help both providers and patients by seeking to remove unnecessary barriers to these medicines and by publishing an educational tool designed specifically for patients and pharmacists.

Authorized Generics are medications that go through the high-quality manufacturing processes of brand name medications, are supported by years of clinical trial data, and available at a lower price point. Members of the Coalition currently include Greenstone and Winthrop.

“We believe Authorized Generics help advance public health and improve the health care system by increasing competition and helping patients access high-quality, affordable medicines” said Brendan O’Leary, General Manager of Greenstone LLC, a Pfizer subsidiary. “We hope this coalition will raise awareness of Authorized Generics as an important option for patients.”

“Americans deserve to have access to affordable, authorized generic medicines that are of the same quality as their name brand counterparts, however, too few patients are aware that they exist and are readily available to them,” said Leslie Felix, Head of Winthrop, a Sanofi Company. “That is why Winthrop, who has been providing these medicines for more than 10 years, is joining this effort in the hopes that it will help inform those who may benefit from these medicines.”