Have you ever wondered why medicines come in so many different colours, shapes and sizes? Their appearance is not always just for visual appeal. Medicines contain active ingredients along with inactive ingredients, or excipients, which can help with stability, taste and colour.

Colour, shape and size can also help distinguish medicines. As per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains, “Generic drugs can vary in size, shape, and colour and still be the same medicine.

So, while two medicines may look different on the outside, what matters most is what is inside, and whether they meet the required standards for safety, quality and effectiveness.

Biocon Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Cipla Eli Lilly and Company AstraZeneca Novo Nordisk Novartis Lupin SUN PHARMA Johnson & Johnson Sanofi