My pharmacy can now order generic duragesic patches! I’m well aware that the coming of generic duragesic patches isn’t the thing of most people’s dreams, so let me explain why the number crunchers are buying a round for everyone tonight. Last year I had a patient who was on 350mcg which is a huge dose. To get that much you have to apply three 100mcg patches (the largest they make) and a 50mcg patch. The patches last three days and a box has five patches. The generic is generally going to lower the price of each box by $50 for the 100mcg patches and a little less for the 50mcg ones. This means that my total monthly savings on that one patient would have been over $350.
I'd like to take a moment to say that I have no problem with brand name drugs, and have all the respect in the world for the patent the drug companies have on them. I am willing to help pay for research, am against importing drugs from wherever they may come from, and believe that we are shortsighted at best when we try to keep drug companies from recouping their research cost during the time of their patent. Ask Lance Armstrong and he'll tell you that drug research is a worthy cause. With all that said, let me take a moment to do my happy dance around my desk again now that Duragesic no longer has patent protection. I'm sure they made their research money back, and I hope they invest again in a drug that cures something really evil like ALS or brain cancer. While they do that I'll continue dancing, shouting, and buying drinks as I celebrate that my drug bill will be cheaper next month.
Off the top of my head I’d say that over 50% of our patients use the patches at some point while on service. Few use as much as the example above, but if a hospice has 20 patients on patches their savings could be up to $2,000 a month. You can dang near hire another full time nurse for that! The patients are still getting what they need, but today it will cost us less. For that, we’ll be buying a round for the house!Update: This post has drawn quite a bit of attention and I've learned some new info, so I've updated on the subject here.
14 comments:
PLEASE BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY I ... I TOO WAS HOPING!!
REALLY HATE TO BURST YOUR BUBBLE, AFTER MINE EXPLODED!!! BUT.....TECHNICALLY DURAGESIC ISN'T GOING GENERIC, TO CASH IN ON THE BIG BIG BUCKS, ANOTHER FEEBLE ATTEMPT AT COPYING A GREAT PAIN MED HAS SCAMMED IT'S WAY PAST THE FED, AS MYLAN "THINKS" OR WANTS US TO THINK, THEY'VE CREATED A REASONABLE COPY. NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!
I JUST GOT THE MYLAN GENERIC 100 MCG patch and it is TERRIBLY TERRIBLE, and I only wish I could think of worse way to describe it. BELIEVE ME IT WILL BE NO BARGAIN, because so far it appears it's going to take 2 100's to = ONE, I'm not exaggerating. I participated in a test program for patches November 2003 and QUIT 2 weeks into it, and then was convinced to try again, with the higher mcg patch, and quit 10 days later, when both times I was using up the breakthrough morphine in a week. BUT BACK TO THE MATTER AT HAND, I started on the generic patch, and am feeling like I'm about to begin "chewing" the first one I put on 12 hours ago, to avoid the mild withdrawal pangs, that I feel are beginning to kick in. The problem with the tests/studies they use to submit results to the Gov is that the people particiapating, are those that can't afford regular pain treatment, and are looking for a free ride, however temporary it may be, or they're using it to supplement an insufficient program they are currently on, or worse still, to get high, the screening is lackluster at best, because they're a desparate to get labrats, as the labrats are to get meds for free!
HERE'S WHAT to expect when you open the first bag
FIRST OFF THE BOX IS HALF THE SIZE! OH NOOOOOO! (you'll think to yourself)
THEN
1)the envelope is half the size.*
2) the patch is 1/4 the size, THAT'S CORRECT ONE FIFTH, the size, you could put AT LEAST 4 of them in the same surface area.**
3) no flowing "LIQUID GEL MEDICINE" ***
4) the medicince is in the adhesive, like a nicotine patch.****
5)WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,*****
6) 10HRS STILL WAITING FOR = RELIEF
7)12HRS STILL WAITING, AND NOW A BIT OF WITHDRAWAL IS STARTING.
*********SORRY TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS!!**
BUT IT'S REALLY REALLY BAD NEWS!!
CLARIFICATION TO AZBROWNS FAN,: TALKING ABOUT THE PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY/TEST PATCH, I BELIEVE NOW THAT I WAS TESTING THIS CURRENT MYLAN COPY OF DURAGESIC, BECAUSE IT'S SEEMS TO BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE, OR SHOULD I SAY INEFFECTIVE!
Thanks for the input browns fan. It's good to hear a personal experience. Since the original post, I've heard that the new patches don't give a steady dose of the med, because the patent on the patch membrane (that controls time release of the drug) is still under patent. The problem was that we heard it from a Duragesic Rep; we had no way to know if it was true. Sounds like it may be true.
We've also done some research and found out that there are two generics out now. (This info is from a phone conversation with the FDA.) I can't remember which is which, but one generic is actually Duragesic in a different box while the other is truly a generic. Seems the company which owns Duragesic has started manufacturing it under a second name. That patch has the original membrane, and thus is truly a generic duragesic. I'll have to find the names and get the details later.
Thanks. You'd be amazed how hot the generic duragesic thread is. I'd bet that 18 of the last 20 search engine hits on this blog have been people searching for generic duragesic.
I am concerned about your findings. I have chronic pain and the Duragesic is the only pain medication that works without all the unpleasant side effects. The generic delivery system is NOT the same. Please do not be fooled by the license that Jansen has granted. The same problems exist for many narcotic pain medications that are produced by generic houses. I had a very bad experience with OXY IR, 5 Mg. capsules that were made by Malek. I am also very concerned about the price of brand name medications, however the delivery system for Duragesic can be potentially fatal if it goes array, especially at high doses.
I do not beleive the crap on this blog. I am a cancer patient and lead an almost normal life due to Duragesic. The Mylan patches are awesome. The onset of medication takes a tad longer, but that's the only negative. It is thinner, smaller and is based on newer technology.
Yes, it is smaller, but 10 milligrams of fentanyl [that is all of the medicine in the 100mcg/hr patch] is like one "grain" of the salt. Distriuted over a patch or gel, most of the stuff in either patch is inert.
In my opinion, the only people who *WANT* the brand are addicts who have access to 90% of the medicine [in the gel] in the "old" version, but is embedded in the silicone glue in the Mylan generic.
BTW the Sandoz generic is the same as the brand-name patch.
Bottom-line: The generic is in this case BETTER than the brand. Just the MYL generic though.
To each his own, ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.
I participated in a study for an adhesive/medicated patch and quit twice after 7-8 days. THE PATCH/MEDS were FREE FOR PARTICIPATION, and I still quit. The first time they said they'd try a higher dose, and I still didn't get the relief. I had a spinal cord tumor removed that left all kinds of damage, and have been suffering from chronic pain for 10 years. I was changing Mylan patches every 48 hours, with less relief than Duragesic, thankfully, because it's been a common complaint my insurance has authorized the Duragesic, I still change every 48 hours, but if it works for you, THAT'S ALL THAT COUNTS. I just want those that do experience problems to know, they aren't unique, don't be afraid to complain. I can assure you, I got no where near the relief I get from Duragesic.
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Thanks for the info. If you are interested in fentanyl pain patch.
Then have a look at fentanyl pain patch
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I agree with A Z Browns Fan
The Generic new brand they came out with SUCKS-I was switched to them-Because of Health Insurance coverage-And was on them only for one day-till i got switched back-As it is-These Duragesic patches are addicting-And i wish they had a pill for-instead of a patch-Like time release-Because then you would not have to worry about going outside-And having the heat release more medication in your system-that whats supposed to be-Sure the patches help with the pain-But just try stop taking these-You cant-I ended up in the hospital because or trying to do so-I wish they NEVER made these-Ide take a pill any day-Now ive got to face going into a detox center for a week or two-just to get off them-Also look on the web about how many lives have been taken by these-Why havent they baned these years ago
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To the guy who said he uses Duragesic patches and yet thinks they should be "banned" because they've "taken so many lives":
Narcotics are safe drugs when taken properly by responsible people. Physical dependence forms to narcotics. These are simple facts. One should never begin taking a narcotic on a daily basis UNLESS YOU NEED IT!!!
How on earth can you whine "oh, I have to go to a 'detox' (as if these meds were toxins) center to get off of it."
WHY WOULD YOU HAVE GOTTEN *ON* IT, IF YOU DIDN'T NEED IT???? DID YOUR CHRONIC PAIN MIRACULOUSLY HEAL ITSELF?
Or did you not really need the med?
Perhaps you were not aware that, although the narcotic pain meds are some of the safest medicines (if not THE safest) when used at a non-fatal dosage by people who don't use other drugs, there is a physical dependence that forms to them?
If so, you woefully failed to do your homework.
Don't get on the net, or speak to people in the real world, and complain about the fact that quitting narcotics is difficult.
YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO *GET ON* NARCOTICS UNLESS YOU NEEDED THEM FOR THE LONG TERM.
And the fact that you weren't able to seek out and execute an intelligent way to get off of the medication when that time came, that's bad on you.
There's no need for a detox, because narcotics aren't toxins like alcohol, cocaine, etc., which do irreparable, life diminishing harm to many people *without exception*. (If used daily, constantly, the way many of us use narcotics without any problems.)
What you need is a *taper*.
If you really had a pain issue, there is no thing you would avoid more than a "detox" where they rip you off the med.
Such a process would, of course, leave you with the pain you had before, but also very likely set off a medium- to long-term "vicious circle" of the heightened pain of rapid opiate withdrawal engendering the stress response, setting off worse pain, which then engenders the stress response, and on and on.
If you really had pain, you wouldn't get off the meds, and you wouldn't even think about saying that the meds should be banned -- because if your pain miraculously did disappear and you could then get off the meds without the return of life diminishing pain, *YOU WOULD NEVER THINK TO EVEN SUGGEST THAT NARCOTICS SHOULD BE "BANNED"* because you'd know that they were necessary to save your life, literally.
So, either you're an incompetent patient, and extremely misinformed about your own health and the pharmacology of these wonderful medicines, or you're a j**kie who never needed these meds for pain and now has the gall to suggest removing medications that are necessary for many good people to live happy lives.
I've got nothing against recreational drug users, but I've sure got something against people who can't take responsibility for their own actions.
You chose to get on these meds, you managed to make a doctor think you needed them, etc. If you didn't actually need them, and are considering rapid opiate withdrawal -- the last thing a person in pain would ever do -- you've abused the system.
I don't support our prohibitionist society's regulations, but if you gamed the system, and then you have the stones to pretend to know something about which medications should be available... I just can't get the contempt that I possess for your lack of knowledge, sense, and appreciation for these medications onto the page.
But I'll leave you with one hint: opiates are meant to be tapered off of. Maybe if you use the drugs properly, you'll be able to see past some kind of idiotic bias in your head.
Opiates will be with us forever. They can kill people who take absurd amounts, or high amounts with other drugs. Different people need different amounts. Caution must be taken with the opiate naive. Don't develop physical dependence unless you have pain that's been around for a long time and is likely to remain for a long (i.e. forever, or damn close) time. If you're miraculously cured of your pain, or if you're not really in pain, and you decide to get off, taper off. It doesn't matter if it's morphine, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydromorphone, methadone, levorphanol, palfium, etc. -- they're all the same. (Not exactly, but you know.) They're extremely similar -- no one (and none) of these opiates is a "killer drug" that needs to be banned.
So, for idiots who think the oldest drug family in the book (7,000 years or so) is going anywhere -- it's not.
Take responsibility for your own actions, and your own medical care. If you got physically dependent on a medicine you didn't need, or were so lucky as to be freed from your pain somehow, don't be a dope, just do a slow taper off of your medicine. Hint: it doesn't need to be painful. Yep. That's true.
Think people, please. And nice blog! :)
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