Posted by SLS on November 16, 2008, at 16:23:35
In reply to Re: I noticed something with the name brand, too, posted by linkadge on November 16, 2008, at 14:42:58
I guess you don't have to take anyone's word for it, but I have witnessed a friend of mine relapse into depression upon a change from Wellbutrin to the generic bupropion. She was able to recapture the antidepressant response only after she restarted the name brand. She had been stable on Wellbutrin for many years. This was not a case of transient spontaneous poop-out.
My doctor has seen differences in generics too. I particularly remember a case that involved Paxil and the generic paroxetine. His patient was stable for about a year on Paxil before relapsing upon the change to paroxetine. Again, the therapeutic response was captured once Paxil was reintroduced.
The FDA does not require that a drug company produce double-blind studies to determine the efficacy of a generic drug candidate, even with the described differences in the "inactive" ingredients between preparations. The FDA simply relies on the work done previously by the original name-brand drug manufacturer.
I am taking a generic lamotrigine, but my doctor was insistent that the pharmacy dispense the product of a specific manufacturer. He has noted that there are differences in efficacy among generics of the same compound.
Different is different. I, for one, don't feel so confident that generics are interchangeable with name brands so as to want to call into question the veracity of the reports given by any individual.
A real good example of a difference in quality between products of the same compound is that of thyroxine. It is well established through observation of clinicians and subsequent investigation that Synthroid is much more variable in biological activity than Levoxyl.
Different is different.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:863245
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081114/msgs/863426.html