Generic HIV Meds

[gregftl]

Due to the amount of my income I'm about to not be able to get my HIV meds thru the ADAP program and I've read about a company called Cipla that puts out generic HIV meds. In fact, I read they distribute the most HIV meds in the world. I found a website where I can get the generic forms of my meds (combivir and viramune)......generic being Duovir and Nevimune for about 400 bucks a month as opposed to 1300 bucks a month for the brand name. I found a reputable online canadian pharmacy and my doctor said he would approve my RX for generics.

My question is.....anyone out there ever been on Duovir and Nevimune or any other HIV meds manufactured by Cipla and what are your experiences?

I'd appreciate any feedback you can give me.

Greg

[sdguyloveslife]

Hi Greg,

Cipla is a large pharmaceutical manufacturer in India making primarily generic drugs.  The company has an excellent reputation and is known for making several generic versions of HIV drugs for developing countries.  While their HIV drugs are not available in the US, they do manufacture generic versions of many other drugs that are distributed in the US.  Therefore, the US FDA has inspected and approved their facilities (in India) that manufacture the generics that are marketed in the US.  It would seem reasonable that the same standards are applied across all of their drugs.  It's good to see that you are using a "reputable" Canadian pharmacy - as long as they are getting the drugs from Cipla, you should have no worries. 

Best wishes! 

[Inchlingblue]

 

My question is.....anyone out there ever been on Duovir and Nevimune or any other HIV meds manufactured by Cipla and what are your experiences?

 

There have been people on here who have taken generic Atripla, called Viraday and they have reported that it has worked fine. As sdguy states, Cipla is a reputable company.

I would make sure that the generics you are looking to buy are manufactured by Cipla. 40% to 50% of people with HIV throughout the world take ARVs manufactured by Cipla.

If you search on here for "generic Atripla" or for "viraday" several threads come up and you can read what others have said.

[gregftl]

Yah the site I am buying from candrugstore.com said it is manufactured by Cipla. When I ordered it they were like "by the way you do know this generic is made in India by a company named Cipla. Are u ok with that?". So yes it's Cipla. 89 bucks for a 1 month supply of Generic Combivir (Duovir) and 110.00 for a one month supply of Generic Viramune (Nevimune). 200 bucks for a one month supply of both compared to 1300-1400 bucks for the brand name. I already ordered a 1 month supply just to see how long it takes to get to me. candrugstore.com is located in Vancouver. I was reading online that the patent for Combivir here in the US runs out in May 2010 so maybe soon a generic will be sold here too unless they pull a trick and get the patent extended somehow. Viramune's patent runs out in 2012. I wonder WHEN the generics do come out here in the US too how much they will be. Some generic meds (non-hiv) arent much less expensive than the brand name.

[mecch]

And I wonder what the wholesale price is of Indian generics and the mark up of these "canadian" pharmacies... Maybe HAART can be bought for 20 bucks in a local pharmacy in Bombay.

[Inchlingblue]

And I wonder what the wholesale price is of Indian generics and the mark up of these "canadian" pharmacies... Maybe HAART can be bought for 20 bucks in a local pharmacy in Bombay.

Cipla was able to manufacture medicines which enjoyed patent monopoly in certain other countries (particularly those where large, multinational pharmaceutical companies are based). By doing so, as well as by making an executive decision not to make profits on AIDS medication, Cipla reduced the cost of providing antiretrovirals to AIDS patients from $12,000 and beyond (monopoly prices charged by international pharma conglomerates) down to around $300 per year. Today they are able to do so for under $150 per patient per year.

LINK:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cipla

[mecch]

See, so the canadian pharmacy is ripping you off with an astronomical markup, even though the price is still much below retail for patented HAART.

[Inchlingblue]

See, so the canadian pharmacy is ripping you off with an astronomical markup, even though the price is still much below retail for patented HAART.

Well, it's not like the drugs can be purchased directly from Cipla. Plus, I think the prices quoted above are wholesale cost.

The Canadian pharmacy is still a great deal.

[mecch]

I guess the drugs cant be bought directly.
But whos to say. Maybe a collective could do that.
We are getting different and second hand information on the actual cost of these Cipla drugs.  But garanteed the canadian online pharmacy is making a huge profit, or Cipla is selling to first world middlemen for a huge profit.

[gregftl]

Well, i'm not griping about the price. I'll take it. I can afford 200 bucks a month. I just want them to work. I have a few months of backup brand name combivir and viramune and my generics should be here in a couple of weeks. I'm scared to death to try them.....I'm afraid they wont work or dont have the same amount of meds in them. Yes I suffer from anxiety disorder. I worry about everything I cannot afford 1300 bucks a month for the brand name. I'm grateful at least that I can afford something that may keep me alive. Of course we all know that we shouldnt have to go thru this song and dance for health care but that's how it is. And this ADAP program cutting off people that make more than 30,000/year that is just plain b/s. To me you know if you have HIV....go in and apply for adap bam you should get your meds for free. Our country is so stupid to deny people life saving medicines when in the end, as we all know.......it costs more for people to go off their meds, get sick, then end up in the emergency room and probably end up getting enrolled in that same adap program that denied them in the 1st place. It's a shame we all have to live like this. I actually have severe anxiety and have frequent panic attacks thinking about the day I might have to go without drugs and die. It gets so bad I find myself throwing up thinking about it (several times a week). A person should not have to live like this. I take xanax for my anxiety but some days......the whole thought it just too overwhelming even for the xanax to help.

[aztecan]

Hey Greg,

Just wondering whether your ASO is able to assist you? I know here there is an insurance program that basically provides you with full insurance, including prescription coverage, because ADAP is quite limited.

Is there anything like this available to you?

HUGS,

Mark

[gregftl]

What is an ASO?

I'm self employed.......and no there isnt any insurance companies down here in Florida that will take people that are poz. When I lived in Chicago Blue Cross offered a very expensive plan for people with hiv. The premium was 500/month plus u had to pay 20percent of ur meds cost. Back then though Ii was getting ryan white and adap and said screw that. I mean even they had a plan like that down here 500/month plus 20perrcent for your meds.......well i might as well just pay for my brand name meds myself b/c that would be about the same cost.

[bmancanfly]

I've used Cipla products before, for non-hiv meds, and they were identical to the name brand stuff.

$110 for Viramune is an excellent price.  I have insurance and my copay for the Viramune is $200.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

[Inchlingblue]

What is an ASO?

 

It stands for "AIDS Service Organization." The link below has a list, by state (but it's not a compete list, there are others).

LINK:

http://www.hivpositivemagazine.com/aso.html

[Ann]

It stands for "AIDS Service Organization.

There is also a searchable directory at POZ.com.

http://directory.poz.com/