Final answer:
Generic drugs are less expensive and FDA approved for therapeutic equivalence, but face challenges like public trust and perceived quality. Important factors such as dosage, administration, and drug interactions affect their therapeutic outcome and side effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discussion of the therapeutic use of generic drugs involves assessing their benefits and drawbacks. One significant advantage of generic drugs is that they are often much less expensive than their brand-name counterparts, making them more accessible to patients. Moreover, they are required by the FDA to be therapeutically equivalent to the brand-name version, ensuring their effectiveness and safety. However, scandals such as the 1989 case involving the FDA's approval process for generic drugs can undermine public trust. The disadvantages may include the perception of lower quality and variability in the manufacturing process compared to brand-name drugs. It's important to consider various factors, such as dosage, route of administration, and drug interactions, which can influence the therapeutic outcome and side effects of generic drugs.