Why do people still get a prescription for Nexium and pay extra for Nexium when Prilosec does the same thing?

The same reason millions of people spend billions of dollars paying for brand name or newer drugs when generics or older drugs will do. Ignorance. Not saying they are dumb. Just saying that they lack knowledge in this area, or, have a fear that the brand name must be better. Also, drug reps are dropping off samples to MDs for newer drugs, MDs are giving the samples to patients, and patients are assuming that this is the one and only drug for their condition.

It’s really funny considering that Nexium is just the S- isomer of Prilosec. It’s basically the same drug. My mom takes Clarinex. It’s just an isomer of Claritin which is over the counter, generic and cheap. I cannot convince her to just buy some generic Claritin for a fraction of the cost of Clarinex. Not gonna happen. And, I’m a pharmacist.

Addendum: Just read a response that Nexium might be more effective than Prilosec. Some studies have shown Nexium to be a little better. Some studies have shown no significant difference between Nexium and Prilosec. That still does not warrant trying the more expensive drug first. Prilosec was/is very sucessful because it works very well.

Although Nexium and Prilosec do target the same condition, their mechinisms are different. Therefore side effects, also called contraindictions, differ.

They may claim to do the same thing, but each acts differently.
And studies show Nexium is actually more effective.
Prilosec was a great thing when it was introduced, first of it’s kind. But that doesn’t make it the best forever.