Yes, that is true – Singaporeans, in many cases, do have to pay more for their brand name vs generics drugs compared to other countries in the region, like Malaysia. The savings could range from 30% to even 50%. To be clear, these are not fakes or generics but the exact same drugs marketed by the same global pharmaceutical companies. If you are taking such drugs for chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, the savings over a year can be quite substantial. So why are Singaporean “punished” with higher drug prices? Here are some of the possible reasons.