Was at the pharmacy looking for some Panadol, and while there saw 'Generic' Paracetamol.
For the same 500mg 100 pack, Panadol brand is $14.99. While Panamax is $2.99
What's the difference, other then packaging and brand name?
They both have the same 500mg of Paracetamol. Is there more to it, or just brand loyalty?
I use Panamax all the time.
No issues
Generic (non-brand name) drugs have to comply with regulations in the same way as brand name drugs. They contain the same active ingredients, in the same quantities. Non-active ingredients (eg binders) might be a bit different. They are tested for quality by the Australian Government (TGA) in the same way as the brand name drugs.
The TGA doesn't test drugs the way you believe it does.
https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/product-testing-and-investigat…
The TGA is a tool of corporations.
I think that I would know better than you, as I used to work there testing drugs!
I was in hospital not long ago and they were giving patients Panamax.
Billing as if Panadol but I bet
That would make more cents. Cheers
if they were you would be incredibly lucky, more likely billing as if you are swallowing gold nuggets
Panadol are usually easier to take (smaller, coating, etc).
Just wait until you see Panamax on sale for 99c, it's gunna blow your mind.
I haven't seen it on sale since pharmacies imposed a transaction limit in anticipation of the changes scheduled for 1-Feb 2025.
This. Medicinally, should be minimal difference - it is the same medication. However you will find differences with the product. From memory, Panamax are chalky tablets and don't feel as nice in the mouth whereas with Panadol you've got the various options (tablets, capsules, mini caps, etc) and then even their tablets are "nicer" to swallow than the Panamax (again, from memory). You may also find that one may have a longer shelf-life than the other, amongst numerous other non-medicinal differences.
This is why there is a cost difference: Panadol has spent a lot more developing the product that the medicine is a part of. Panamax is the "here's your paracetemol" no-frills product.
You'd need to do some more research to find if these non-medicinal differences significantly affect efficacy and other factors i.e. rate of absorption.
My pains go away the same with Panamax and I feel good knowing I didn't pay for Panadol.
My wife still insists on buying Panadol for your reasons listed, I decided it would be better to pay for that as a divorce would cost significantly more. I did roll my eyes at Panadol Menstrual which I am glad they got a fine for.
i remember when it was 69c lol
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/generic-medicines-vs-brand-n…
ALDI ones are cheap and cheerful too.
Panadol eases the pain more as you will not be carrying around as much money
In theory, both of them have the same ingredients being paracetamol/acetaminophen 500mg so should have the same effect (i.e. generics).
There are some differences not towards the efficacy of the medicine but moreso the 'add-ons'. Some of these include
- Panadol may work slightly faster due to how it disperses in your gut (e.g. rapid vs not)
- Panadol film-coated tablets may make it easier to swallow
- Panadol is a brand and hence there is a price premium.
Ultimately, it depends on how much value you place on such benefits. I personally buy Panadol because I hate the taste of Panamax.
because I hate the taste of Panamax.
Umm. Pretty sure you swallow it with a shot of bourbon so don't see how this is an issue.
Yeah but if you crush it up and snort it, the taste is woeful
Same, only if panamax can improve their taste
Who the hell tastes the tablet. I swallow or take with glass of water/coffee/pepsi/scotch.
Back in the day Panamax was made by the same company that made Panadol (Winthrop).
I used to work at a medicine manufacturer on their factory lines, and often we just changed the packet to generic and loaded the exact same tablets.
They both have the same 500mg of Paracetamol. Is there more to it, or just brand loyalty?
That is pretty much it….. You're paying for a brand, both have the same active ingredient!
The only time it is different, is like panadol osteo, this is a 2 stage release of the drug for those that can't be bothered to take tablets every 4 hours ;)
What's the difference, other then packaging and brand name?
Only the active ingredients are the same.
The other ingredients can be different which may or may not affect the effectiveness.
"Nuprin…Little, Yellow, Different" - Wayne Campbell
The other paracetamol variant worth considering is Osteomol 665, modified release tablets (much like Panadol Osteo), 665mg instead of 500mg.
sometimes some brands have smaller pills or the pills are coated with a sweet shell to make them easier to swallow
What's the difference
$12.00.
This guy knows how to mathematical
I did the calc in my head, but now I have a headache.
Take some panadol panamax.
There's no difference. I switched to Panamax 10+ years ago, it works fine.
Now change back again and let us know if it is still not any different
If Panadol still manages to sell for $14.99, there must be a lot of people willing to pay 5 times more. I can understand people willing to pay double for the brand but 5 times more is incredible.
It's Chemist Warehouse sells for that price. the cost probably $2
Panadol is for those with more dollars then sense.
That explains the dol in panadol.
Ok….
I am a retired RN. Until recently, Panamax could be gotten on script by pensioners on the PBS and it worked out to be even cheaper. My clinical days 30+ years ago, the older patients would insist on having Panamax because it worked better for them than Panadol. I would tell them it was exactly the same active drug, but there was no way they could be convinced. I found the public hospitals at that time generally stocked Panamax while the private hospital stocked Panadol (ward supply).
When you purchase a Branded product like Panadol (Or soft drinks, hamburgers etc) rather than the generic you are just paying for and supporting a lot of sales, marketing and advertising .
If you don't want to support and reward the sales, marketing and advertising types then buy generic.
Comes from same factory
That's incorrect…
Only just noticed? We havent used the brand name in 20 years plus.
From an active ingredient point of view, it is the same thing.
But the brands have different inactive ingredients (like the binders and delivery agents) can also play a part in the efficiency of absorption. That is why some people swear by a certain brand which may work better than others for their body.
The active ingredient is the same efficacy and quality.
Panadol and other "premium brands" will try and differentiate their product by adding coatings, changing shape, claiming quicker absorption, etc.
Quality I disagree with, I have tried the generics a few times and they had sharp edges like it split over the mould as it was made. If I used it frequently then I would probably ignore this but I don't want to scratch my insides.
I was referring to quality of ingredients.
Do you blend up all your food prior to consumption?
Sometimes.
for a certain percentage of the population, more expensive placebos are more effective than cheap placebos.
This is true
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/3577792/redir
a bit of pharmacology discussion provided by a doctor ozbargainer back in 2016.
These days I always try to buy the brand name like Panadol, (or at least a brand name, like Advil, which is pfizer's for ibuprofen), since I don't want to miss out on the benefits of the placebo effect.
I do the opposite while also benefiting from the placebo effect - as I feel the generics are the superior product.
Also save money too. :)
I tried doing that too, but it didn't work for me :(
Swapped to panamax a couple years back, seems to work just fine. As others have said it's just maybe some packaging differences and certain capsules easier to take down than the dry/rough panamax tablets. My partner still prefers the Neurofen Liquid tablets for headaches etc, but i'll use panamax unless I specifically need anti-inflammatory
As long as it's a liquid capsule
Pharmacologist checking in - the active is the same. Probably comes from the same chemical company. The excipients (fillers/stuff that "carries" the active) are probably different.
Does that matter for drugs like paracetamol? Probably not. But I wouldn't switch extended release antidepressant medication between generic and brand names as the kinetics
may be altered by the excipients. But for meds you eat for a headache, no appreciable difference.
Edit: basically what KaTst3R said.
That's it.