Generic Actonel: An Overview
Actonel® (
risedronate sodium) is a prescription medication used to treat both Paget's disease and
osteoporosis. It is part of a group of medications known as bisphosphonates.
Actonel is made by Warner Chilcott Pharmaceuticals, Inc. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Actonel from being manufactured in the United States. Yet if you search the Internet for "generic Actonel," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is that these medicines may be fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. Generic Actonel may be available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Actonel or not. You should not buy any so-called generic Actonel until an approved version is available.
When Will Generic Actonel Be Available?
The first patent for Actonel currently expires in May 2012. This patent was originally set to expire earlier, but the manufacturer was granted an extension in return for performing much-needed pediatric studies. The manufacturer was also granted additional exclusivity rights (for performing the pediatric studies) that may protect the drug from generic competition even longer (until January 2013). This is the earliest predictable date that a generic version of the drug could become available. However, other circumstances could come up to extend or shorten the exclusivity period. This includes such things as other patents for specific
Actonel uses or lawsuits. Once the patent expires, several companies will likely begin manufacturing generic Actonel.
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