We wanted a name that would reflect our commitment to being a dynamic, solutions-minded company, and that would be practical to use in all our markets. Actavis is derived from two Latin words 'Acta' meaning action and 'vis' meaning influence.

What does the tagline mean?

The tagline "think smart medicine" helps to underline the idea behind our identity. The company is committed to find new and innovative solutions within the generics industry. For our customers, we strive to provide high quality products at an affordable price, ahead of the competition.
For our investors, we pursue organic growth and strategic acquisitions through aggressive product development and fast market penetration.
For our employees, we provide a dynamic working environment, good terms of employment and excellent career opportunities.

What is a generic medicine?

A generic medicine is one made to be interchangeable with an existing brand name medicine. It contains the same amount of active ingredient and has been demonstrated to be equivalent in terms of safety and effectiveness. Generic medicines are subject to rigorous licensing by the Government to ensure that the medicine is manufactured to the highest quality and is safe and effective. A generic medicine may be marketed once the patent protecting the original brand medicine has expired.

Why are generic medicines more affordable than branded originals?

A generic medicine is a copy of an original medicine. Generic companies do not have all the initial research and development costs that the originator company has, and so generic products are more affordable.

Are generic medicines the same as the original?

Generic medicines are therapeutically equivalent to the original medicine. This means that they work in the same way in the body and are associated with the same risks and benefits of the original medicine. They contain the same active ingredients, are of the same dosage form and are identical in strength to the original medicine. A generic medicine may contain different inactive ingredients (excipients), could be a different shape or colour and will be in different packaging.

Can the side effects differ between generic and original medicines?

Rarely. As the generic and original medicine may contain different inactive ingredients (particularly preservatives, flavours or colours) there is a rare chance that a patient may suffer an allergic reaction to one of these ingredients that is not present in the other medicine. So a patient could suffer a reaction to an original medicine and not the generic medicine, or vice versa. It is important to read the patient information leaflets, which provide valuable information on all the ingredients in a medicine.

Is it always safe to choose a generic medicine?

Yes. Generic medicines have to be licensed by the Government in the country where they are marketed. Only approved medicines made by approved companies can be supplied to patients. The Government employs a team of specialists who check the product to ensure it has been made to a high quality and is safe and effective. In Malta the licensing authority is the Medicines Authority.

What does “Good Manufacturing Practices” (GMP) mean?

GMP is a regulatory guideline imposed on all manufacturers of pharmaceuticals in order to ensure compliance with quality standards such as the pharmacopeia standards, the marketing authorisation and other applicable regulatory requirements in order to ensure the quality, efficacy and safety of pharmaceuticals.