[Margaret Pilkington]

Salbutamol is the generic version of ventolin...a bit like a supermarkets own brand of cornflakes over Kelloggs....like unbranded cereals these drugs are cheaper.
Doctors will tell you that they are exactly the same but in my experience they aren't.
I used to take Voltarol 50 mg three times a day. I was prescribed Diclofenac 50 mg three times a day...this meant each tablet should have relieved my pain for eight hours.....the branded ones did, the unbranded ones lasted barely six hours..yet they were supposed to be exactly the same.
It costs less to the practice to prescibe unbranded medications.