Meridia Generic: An Overview
Meridia® (
sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate) is a prescription weight-loss medication that works in the brain by helping people feel full. It is approved to help people lose weight and to keep the weight off. Meridia should be used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet.
Meridia is made by Abbott Laboratories. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Meridia from being manufactured in the United States. Yet, if you search the Internet for "generic Meridia," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is that these medicines may be fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. There may be generic Meridia products available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Meridia or not. Therefore, you should not buy any generic Meridia until there is an approved generic available.
When Will Generic Meridia Be Available?
The first patent for Meridia expired in November 2007. However, it appears that a later patent (set to expire in January 2013) will protect Meridia from generic competition. The expiration date for the first patent has passed, and no generic companies have decided to challenge the 2013 patent. At this point, it appears that no generic Meridia will be available until at least 2013. This could change, however, if any generic manufacturers choose to legally challenge the 2013 patent at an earlier date.
Is Sibutramine a Generic Meridia?
The answer is no. Sibutramine is the active ingredient in Meridia, but it is not a generic version of Meridia. What can be confusing is that, oftentimes, the active ingredient of a drug is referred to as the "generic name." The generic name is different than a generic version of a medicine. In order for there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine must have gone off patent, and another company (besides the original manufacturer) would make the product.
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