Ampyra brand name v generic

[rjoneslaw]

There is now what is supposed to be a generic version of Ampyra. Here is the kicker the generic name is what the pharmaceutical company currently calls it now dalfampridine. They just dropped the name Ampyra and changed the color of the pill.

The pharmacist told me when I refilled the script that when a generic version comes out for a medication they stop selling the brand name.

What I don’t understand how is it considered generic when all they did was change the color of the pill and drop a name.

I get the fact trying to get another niche in the market so more insurance company will pay because it always comes down to making a profit

[kdali]

All drugs have a brand and generic name. After 5 years the patent on the brand runs out, and other companies can create something that acts similar, but they are not the same. The color depends on the company your pharmacy contracts with (enter lots of politics here) and this is why your pills look so different when you get admitted at the hospital (even crazier politics here).

Pharmacies make more money when you buy generic, so of course they would swap everyone out, but it usually saves you money also.

Here’s a fun read about the difference in brand/generic:

pharmacytimes.com/contribut...

[rjoneslaw in reply to kdali]

No it’s the same name and company. I looked

[erash in reply to rjoneslaw]

The same company can buy the rights to the drug and make the generic. The pharma co. That makes ampyra is a small company. Amphora is one of their major $ makers. I’m not surprised they decided to buy/sell the generic when it went off patent.

Yrs ago I spoke with them about the potential cog benefits (beyond walking speed) that should be appreciated by the increased nerve conduction speed that ampyra causes. They indicated that they did not have the resources to study this. Now I see the research has been done and there are cog improvements.

Unfortunately, I do not qualify for this drug due to history of febrile seizures.

[mrsmike]

Hi rjoneslaw , I was on Ampyra until they, the company making it, stopped giving financial aid to those of us on Medicare. Because of that I, the cost was prohibitive. So I started using a compounder. Have you gotten the generic version of Ampyra? How much did it cost? Thanks.

Brenda

[rjoneslaw in reply to mrsmike]

My insurance covers the the cost.

[mrsmike in reply to rjoneslaw]

Was it the generic?

[rjoneslaw in reply to mrsmike]

Yes it says it on the label on the bottle

[mrsmike in reply to rjoneslaw]

Thanks for the info. So your Neuro wrote a Rx and you got it at your drug store? Sorry for being a pest.

[rjoneslaw in reply to mrsmike]

Yes I have a rx for it. The company sends it out by fedx I can dm you with the company that sends mine out. It mayb different depending on what state ur in.

[erash]

Generics simply mean the drug is no longer under patent and can be made by another company. Patents usually last 7+ yrs.

Generics need to be similar to brand, within 1-2 standard deviations (if I remember correctly). If a drug has a narrow therapeutic window 0r the inactive ingredients affect the pharmacokinetics enough, people may have differing responses to the generic.

[IFwczs]

Do you have the same results on generic as on the brand?

[rjoneslaw in reply to IFwczs]

Nothing has changed. The company just dropped the name ampyra and used the other name that it goes by which is dalfampridine.

Hope this helps.

[IFwczs in reply to rjoneslaw]

Thank you. It will help when I go on disability and need to pay for it out of pocket.

[KCNA2chi]

Has anyone used the brand and generic form of Ampyra and found a difference? My daughter is using the generic brand (started two weeks ago) and is VERY tired... hardly can get up for the day. I am wondering if there would be a difference if she tried the Brand form instead of the generic she is taking now. Where can I get the Brand form of this medication? I am in Ohio...

[rjoneslaw in reply to KCNA2chi]

I have been on both and I found no difference but I think it has more to do with the manufacturer you get it from

[kid7frost in reply to KCNA2chi]

I was on Amprya when 1st came out loved it then came the generic hate it Ampyra could walk with cane no big problems on Oklahoma Sooner Care they always go for the cheapest so they put me the generic 3yrs ago when it came out now in a wheelchair can't walk always tired I fell a year back done something to my left leg can't put any weight on it fall immediately went to Dr about it was told could do surgery but no guarantee may take a year or more to heal would be better to heal than surgery went through 3 Dr to get name brand back just got today 2-27-2021 hopefully can possibly start to walk again may take long time so simply putting it use name brand not cheap generic if possible

[rjoneslaw in reply to kid7frost]

If u ever noticed when u went to the dr and u told them u were on Ampyra the name n the system was always dalfampridine. Then they switched the names around.

But for me the pill is the same color and I’m with the same pharmacy, which makes some what of a difference

My sister is taking this pain meds and at the pharmacy ( small mom n pop ) she was getting the meds from she only had to take half of a pill and it would last 12 hr. Then she switched pharmacies ( big box chain) because the meds were cheaper but she ended up taking a whole pill every 4hrs . She immediately switched back to the other pharmacy because the meds were better . The big box didn’t have the band she was using

So when it comes down to is what pharmacy ur using it all comes down to who the manufacturer and distributor of the meds are.

Also the pharmacy at my dr that write the scripts for the meds told me that a lot of places don’t carry Ampyra anymore they just carry the dalfampridine because it’s easier to get

[kid7frost in reply to rjoneslaw]

CVS specialty pharmacy the same place as first time mail order nobody carries it locally

[rjoneslaw in reply to kid7frost]

My specialty pharmacy is alliance rx Walgreens I think all specialty pharmacy are mail order

[Humbrd]

I am going to be starting this med soon, maybe. Are you still taking it? How does it help? Any side effects?

[rjoneslaw in reply to Humbrd]

No it stopped working and I ended up the hospital for 14days unable to walk I’m on Ocrevus now. Which has really helped me

[Humbrd in reply to rjoneslaw]

Thanks for the info. Do you think you ended up in the hospital because of the med?

[rjoneslaw in reply to Humbrd]

Yes the dr at the hospital was the one who told my neurologist to put me on Ocrevus and he started the wash out so that I could switch to Ocrevus

[Humbrd in reply to rjoneslaw]

That sucks you had that reaction! I'm really weighing this and doing alot of thinking before I put this in my system. Don't need another problem.

[rjoneslaw in reply to Humbrd]

Just saw ur post ask ur dr bout doing Ocrevus ur will have an infusion 2x’s a yr

[Humbrd in reply to rjoneslaw]

I had an appointment a couple weeks ago with my neurologist and I asked him about ocrevus since I see so many people here are on it. He said no he did not think that was the medicine for me at this time. I am on Aubagio for a year-and-a-half now and so far with all of my MRIs I have no new lesions. He was thinking the new medicine because it would help me walk better but now after reading so much I just don't know if I want to take a chance of having any side effects. I don't want to start having seizures at this point. That is very scary.

[rjoneslaw in reply to Humbrd]

well if you have any q's u can just dm me

[Humbrd in reply to rjoneslaw]

Thank you 😀

[rjoneslaw in reply to Humbrd]

No problem we all have questions and concerns and it’s best to reach out and ask than to suffer and to sit back in silence