Are Generics as Good as Lo/Ovral?

All generic medications must have certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns a rating to each one. An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. Cryselle and Low-Ogestrel both have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Lo/Ovral.

 

However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers, dyes, or other ingredients, which may cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities.