Can I Buy a Generic Lidoderm Patch?
The Lidoderm
® patch (
lidocaine patch) is a prescription pain medication. It is an anesthetic that comes in patch form and is approved for treating the pain that sometimes occurs after a case of
shingles (this pain is known as
postherpetic neuralgia).
The
Lidoderm patch is made by Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Lidoderm is currently protected by a patent that prevents any generic version of the medication from being sold in the United States.
When Will Generic Lidoderm Be Available?
The first patent for Lidoderm is currently set to expire in May 2012. This is the earliest predictable date that a generic version of the drug could become available. However, this could change, depending on many factors, such as lawsuits or additional patents.
Is Lidocaine a Generic Lidoderm?
No -- lidocaine is the active ingredient in Lidoderm (as well as several other medications), but is not a generic version of it. 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 from a generic version of a medicine. In order for there to be a generic version, the original medicine must have gone off-patent, and another company besides the original manufacturer must make the product.
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