An FDA-approved copy of a branded medication, made after the original's patent expires, with the same active ingredient and proven to work equivalently, usually at a much lower price. Importantly, true generics of the newer GLP-1s (semaglutide, tirzepatide) do not yet exist in the U.S., because the drugs are still under patent. "Cheap semaglutide" sold today is almost always compounded, not generic, an important distinction.
Related terms: Branded drug · Compounded medication · Patent cliff · FDA approval