A brand-name drug is a medication sold under the proprietary name given by the pharmaceutical company that originally developed it. Brand-name drugs are protected by patents for a period of time (typically 20 years from filing), during which no generic versions can be sold. After the patent expires, other manufacturers can produce generic equivalents. Brand-name drugs are significantly more expensive than generics because their price reflects the original research, development, and clinical trial costs. Many Canadian insurance plans apply mandatory generic substitution, meaning they will only reimburse up to the cost of the generic equivalent. If you prefer the brand-name version, you may pay the difference between the brand-name and generic prices out of pocket. Some newer biologic drugs have no generic equivalent and remain expensive.