Final answer:
Pharmaceutical equivalents are drug products that have the same active ingredients, dosage form, route of administration, and strength as a reference listed drug.
Step-by-step explanation:
The definition of pharmaceutical equivalent includes drug products that have the same active ingredient(s), dosage form, route of administration, and are identical in strength or concentration. Pharmaceutical equivalents may differ in characteristics such as shape, scoring configuration, release mechanisms, packaging, excipients (inactive ingredients), expiration time, and, within certain limits, labeling. Generic drugs are considered pharmaceutical equivalents of brand-name drugs once their patents have expired. They are typically less expensive and are evaluated by the FDA for therapeutic equivalence, ensuring that they are just as safe and effective as the original brand-name drug.
For example, if the brand-name drug contains ibuprofen as the active ingredient, a generic drug that also contains ibuprofen as the active ingredient would be considered a pharmaceutical equivalent.