Posted on 09/16/2008 12:38:20 PM PDT by calcowgirl
Last update: 3:30 p.m. EDT BOSTON (MarketWatch)
-- The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it has determined that two Indian manufacturing plants operated by Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. are not in compliance due to "serious manufacturing deficiencies." As a result, U.S. border officials may detain any products made at the facilities ...
The plants make active ingredients for more than 30 generic drugs. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
Ranbaxy was the manufacturer listed on a recent prescription for Amoxicillin that I filled it at CostCo (for tooth abscess).
Now I know why it didn’t work, after several refills.
FYI, as of 2005, it appears it was also a top supplier to Wal-Mart, and therefore, likely as well, Sam’s Club.
Well, they are cheap... if all you need is a placebo. ;-)
Otherwise, getting ineffective drugs can be quite expensive.
I’ve had the same experience with generic amoxicillin from Riteaid. I insisted on branded for future refills and saw a large difference in activity. It was for my son’s acne, so effectiveness was very apparent when I had the right item. It took some work to get RiteAid to supply the branded item. They insisted that they don’t stock it, can’t get it, etc.
Your amoxicillin may have not been the right antibiotic for the bacterial strain your doctor thought you had.
By the way, Consumer Reports has reported that generics are safe and effective, too.
Finished Drugs Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient(s) Acyclovir Clarithromycin Cefprozil Valacyclovir HCl Cefuroxime Axetil Pravastatin Sodium Cephalexin Acyclovir Ciprofloxacin HCl Ciprofloxacin HCl Clarithromycin Ganciclovir Sodium * Fenofibrate Gabapentin Fluconazole Fosinopril Sodium Fosinopril Sodium and Hydrochlorothiazide Gabapentin Ganciclovir Sodium * Glimepiride Isotretinoin Lamivudine Loratadine (OTC) Metformin HCl Nefazodone HCl Nitrofurantoin; Nitrofurantoin and Macrocrystalline Ofloxacin Pravastatin Sodium Ranitidine Simvastatin Terazosin HCl Valacyclovir HCl Zidovudine (PEPFAR)
This is the problem with insurers insisting on generic drugs - so many of these are produced overseas in India or China, without US-level safety standards. My mother’s insurer wanted her to take generic lovastatin instead of Lipitor. We replaced her insurer and pay a little more for the Lipitor - I think it’s worth it.
Simply put, brand name drugs and generic versions are not always the same. I have first hand experience where the brand name Capoten is effective in lowering my blood pressure, but the generic version captopril gives me reflux problems and my blood pressure increases.
A recent issue of Prevention magazine had a detailed article on the problems with generics, and cited specifics where the ingredients were not exactly the same, resulting in substantial time diffences in the amounts of the drug being absorbed into the blood system.
Also, the magazine went on to state that the FDA does not subject generics to the same tests as brand names. All the generic manufacturers have to do is verify that their drug contains the same amount of the active ingredient, but often, it is the other ingredients that control absorbtion. Your government at work once again.
I don’t trust the FDA.
Wonder if domestic drug companies are behind this.
Generic Propecia (from India) regrew a bunch of hair on my head. No complaints here.
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