A generic drug is a copy of the brand-name drug with the same dosage, safety, strength, quality, consumption method, performance, and intended use. Before generics become available on the market, the generic company must prove it has the same active ingredients as the brand-name drug and works in the same way and in the same amount of time in the body.
The only differences between generics and their brand-name counterparts is that generics are less expensive and may look slightly different (eg. different shape or color), as trademarks laws prevent a generic from looking exactly like the brand-name drug.
Generics are less expensive because generic manufacturers don't have to invest large sums of money to develop a drug. When the brand-name patent expires, generic companies can manufacture a copy of the brand-name and sell it at a substantial discount.
Somatropin is a form of human growth hormone. Human growth hormone is important in the body for the growth of bones and muscles. Somatropin is used to treat growth failure in children and adults who lack natural growth hormone, and in those with chronic kidney failure, Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome, short stature at birth with no catch-up growth, and other causes. Somatropin is also used to prevent severe weight loss in people with AIDS, or to treat short bowel syndrome. NordiFlex is a multi-dose disposable pre-filled pen, which consists in a cartridge (Type I colourless glass) permanently sealed in a plastic pen-injector. The cartridge is closed at the bottom with a rubber stopper (Type I rubber closures) shaped as a plunger and at the top with a laminated rubber stopper (Type I rubber closures) shaped as a disc and sealed with an aluminium cap. The push button on the pen-injector is coloured green.