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Generic Avandia
At this time, Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate) is unavailable in generic form -- and the reason for this is unclear. There are places that claim to sell "generic Avandia," but be aware that they are selling a product that is likely fake and possibly dangerous. Although rosiglitazone is considered the "generic name" of Avandia, it is not technically a generic version of the drug.
Generic for Avandia: An Overview
Avandia® (rosiglitazone maleate) is a prescription medication that has been licensed to treat type 2 diabetes. It is part of a group of diabetes medications called thiazolidinediones.In September 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was severely restricting the use of Avandia, due to the risk of "cardiovascular events" such as heart attacks and strokes. Only individuals who could not control their diabetes on other medications (or those who were already taking the medication and doing well) would be able to take Avandia.
However, in November 2013, the FDA announced that a careful analysis of the research suggests that there is not, in fact, any increased risk, compared to treatment with standard diabetes medications and that the use of this medication will no longer be restricted.
Avandia is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It is currently under the protection of a patent that prevents any generic Avandia from being manufactured in the United States. Yet, if you search the Internet for "generic Avandia," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is that these medicines are fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. There may be generic Avandia available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Avandia or not. You should not buy any generic Avandia until there is an approved generic available.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD