Generic Concerta in Canada
By*This article has been updated on May 30, 2010.
Concerta is a long acting preparation of Methylphenidate. It was launched in the US in 2000, and in Canada in 2003.
When a new medication is released, the company which produces it has a patent for a certain number of years. This allows them to market the medication exclusively until the patent runs out. This is important for the company to recoup the money invested in research and development of the new medicine, as well as to earn a profit.
I understand that it is reasonably regular that the generic pharmaceutical companies petition the courts to create a generic version of the medication BEFORE the patent runs out. Companies that create generic medicines are able to take the formula of the medication, and produce it. They then sell it at a lower price than the original medication. Often times, the generic is at a price point that is only 20-30% better than the original medication.
For background on generic medication, I want to point you to these resources:
- An Article on generic medications in ADHD – Are They The Same?
- An Article on Adderall XR going generic in the US. Take note of the comments that people share – many of them explaining the side effects and difficulties with the generic version, as well as frustrations with their pharmacies and insurance – Generic Adderall XR in the US; and Generic Adderall XR – New Formulations
Concerta Going Generic In Canada:
Concerta was brought to market in Canada by Janssen Ortho. In mid January 2010, Novopharm won a lawsuit in Canada, to be able to start to produce a ‘concerta like’ medication in Canada. The courts essentially overthrew Janssen’s patent on Concerta. Novopharm is planning to market Novo-Methylphenidate ER C, as a replacement for patients taking Concerta.
N.B. In early summer 2010, the name of the generic medicine will change from: Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C to Teva-Methylphenidate ER-C. This article will be updated when the product’s name is fully changed over.
Let’s Review the Pros and Cons of Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C:
Cons of Generic Concerta:
1) Does this medication work equally to Concerta?
Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that. For a generic company to get approval for a new medication, they simply have to prove that their medication is absorbed within the range of 80% – 125% of the original compound. That is a huge variance.
The problem with that range? This means that the original Ritalin SR could likely meet criteria to be a generic for Concerta.
If you’ve been around long enough to remember Ritalin SR (or if you have not had insurance so it was the most cost effective medication option), you’ll know that Ritalin SR was widely found to be a very ineffective long acting medication. It often did not last longer than short acting methylphenidate in most of my patients. Most of the doctors in the field considered adding Concerta to the medications available in Canada to be a huge improvement, because we could get away from Ritalin SR and its poor efficacy.
I have been unable to get any scientific data (and neither have any of my colleagues) to demonstrate how Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C works. For all we know, it could work like Ritalin SR – which essentially means that it won’t work very well at all.
Concerta has a lot of technology in each little pill. Each pill has a laser drilled hole in it. There is short acting Methylphenidate on the outside of the pill, and then there is an osmotic capsule (meaning that water can come into the capsule from the gut). The water from the gut comes into the capsule, and expands a polymer, which then pushes the medication out of the pre-drilled laser hole – in a researched process which delivers the medication in a fashion which has been shown to work best for people.
Has Novopharm invested what is needed to develop this complex a medication delivery system?
No – they haven’t.
2) Will you be able to control which medication you get?
Let’s say a member of your family is doing very well with Concerta as a treatment for their ADHD. Now that there is a generic product – can you guarantee that you can keep this product as your monthly medication?
Not necessarily.
As of late April 2010, the Ontario government has deemed Novomethylphenidate ER-C interchangeable with Concerta.
When a medicine is deemed interchangeable, then pharmacists have an obligation to automatically substitute the generic form of the medicine for the brand name version. in other words, your pharmacist will have to substitute your Concerta with Novo-methylphenidate ER -C.
There are a couple of factors which can impact whether you get Concerta or the Generic:
- Your insurance: your third party medication insurance may decide that to save cost, they insist that you take the generic Concerta, and they may not cover the real Concerta. If the generic doesn’t work for you, you may have to either pay for it out of pocket, or just stick with the generic.
- If you are on a government provincial drug plan – they may insist on the generic version, and not cover the name brand Concerta any more (Ontario has just forced automatic substitution on their plan).
- What your pharmacy carries: some pharmacies may order in ONLY the generic version, and stop carrying the name brand Concerta. In this case, you may have to go to another pharmacy to get the medication you need.
- How your doctor writes the prescription: If your doctor just writes the prescription for ‘Concerta’, the pharmacy can substitute it automatically for the generic. If your doctor writes the words: NO SUBSTITUTION on the prescription, then the pharmacy will have to give you the name brand Concerta.
Pros of Generic Concerta:
- If this generic works well, then this means there will be a lower cost long acting medication option for people who can’t afford the more costly brand name Concerta. It seems that the price reduction is in the range of 50%.
Overall, as you might have gathered, I feel very uncomfortable with the Generic Concerta at this time (Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C). Most people that I see in my office have had a long and/or challenging road to get to the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. Often taking a medication for ADHD is a huge decision, and arriving at a medication which works well with few side effects is beneficial and often a relief for concerned parents and family. To have that medication changed and become less effective would be very detrimental to my patients – and create a huge disruption to their lives.
Will Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C work well?
I don’t think anyone knows right now. Where is the scientific data?
I don’t know anyone who has seen it yet. And despite this, pharmacies across Canada can start stocking this and replacing it for regular Concerta (and they don’t even have to get your permission).
What do I recommend you do if you or a family member take Concerta?
- Ask your doctor to write a prescription for Concerta NO SUBSTITUTION (it doesn’t have to be capitalized – I am adding that for emphasis). Your doctor can even write: No Sub (which is faster!). It has to be in handwriting. If it is a stamp, or some other form of automated process, then the pharmacist can ignore it.
- Talk to your pharmacist about this – to check if you can still get the name brand medication
- Look closely at your prescription bottle – to see if the medication is: Concerta, or ‘Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C’
- If needed, check with your third party insurance for medication – to see if you are still able to get the name brand Concerta covered
- If you start to notice that Concerta isn’t working as well as it used to – look closely at the bottle, and realize that your prescription may have been substituted for the generic.
As this is a significant change to medication for ADHD in Canada, and one which came as a surprise – I wanted to provide you with some background. I’ll be happy to update this blog as more information comes out, and I know more about this.
One of the things that has been very helpful to many people on this blog – is that readers like you share their stories in the comments below (as you saw with the link about Adderall XR going generic in the US). So, I ask you to share your thoughts, experiences and comments below. Let’s help one another figure out how this new medication works, as well as what is going on in pharmacies, and with insurance coverage, etc. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this post.
New Updates:
Janssen Ortho Releases A Program To Help To Keep You on Brand Name Concerta:
Janssen Ortho is the company making Concerta. They have invested a lot of resources into developing Concerta, as well as educating doctors, educators, and patients and their families about ADHD and its potential impact on people’s lives.
The acceptance of the generic medicine as ‘interchangeable’ is leading to people being taken off of Concerta and being put on the generic very quickly.
Janssen has created a program which can help you to stay on the brand name product. It is called the: “Concerta Co-Pay Assist Program”.
What happens is this:
- You get a prescription from your doctor that says: Concerta No Substitution
- You go to the pharmacy, and give in the prescription – and insist that you get the brand name product.
- If the pharmacy says that your insurance will only cover the generic product, and you have to pay the difference – then you give the pharmacy a ‘Concerta Co-Pay Assist Card, and then Janssen Ortho will pay the difference between the generic medicine and the brand name medicine.
In other words, when you give one of these cards to the pharmacist – you won’t have to pay any extra above the costs of the generic medicine. This applies whether you are on the Ontario Drug Benefit Card, or whether you are on private insurance (i.e. from your work), or even if you are a cash payer.
Here is an image of the card:
You’ll notice that the card says: ‘Multi Use Patient Co-Pay Assist Program’.
This means that you can use the card over and over again, as long as you are taking Concerta (and as long as Janssen continues to run the program – which seems to be for the duration at this time). Logistically, you can either leave the card at your pharmacy, or take it with you – just make sure you still have it when you need to refill your prescription.
Now the big question you may have is: where do you get these cards?
These cards are being give out to doctors, as well as to pharmacies. So, ask your doctor if he or she has a card for you. If he or she doesn’t, you can either ask at your pharmacy, or ask your doctor to contact his or her representative from Janssen Ortho to get a card for you.
Hopefully, it will be easy for you to get a card to continue on the brand name Concerta.
***Please note – that at this time – these cards are only available in the following provinces: Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick.
Another Update: Potential For Abuse:
One of the risks with Methylphenidate medicines is that the medicines can be abused. Kids in school yards can sell ritalin (or short acting methylphenidate medicines) for $5 per pill. Many people will take the tablet – and crush it, so that they may snort it. When they change the route of delivery to the brain (i.e. when the medicine is absorbed via the nose vs. via the stomach), it can increase the speed of the medicine getting to the brain and it can then increase the abuse potential – i.e. people can get a ‘high’ from it when they snort it.
Concerta has a polymer inside, and a hard outer capsule. When it is crushed, there is no powder which can be snorted.
However, the Novo-methylphenidate ER-C can be crushed easily.
Look at the picture below which shows two 54 mg capsules – Novo-Methylphenidate ER C on the left, and Concerta on the right.
Generic Concerta versus NovoMethylphenidate ER C
You can clearly see that the Generic medicine is easily crushed into a powder which could increase the chances of the medicine being abused.
There are studies done which show that with Concerta, there is less risk of abuse. There aren’t any studies done on Novomethylphenidate ER C yet, but, as they say – a picture is worth a thousand words. This picture shows that it can be crushed into a fine powder – thus increasing the risk of abuse.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
p.s. regarding dosing – Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C will be available in the same doses as Concerta:
- Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C 18 mg
- Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C 27 mg
- Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C 36 mg
- Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C 54 mg
p.p.s. A comment from me about this blog post: I am not being reimbursed by Janssen Ortho for this blog post. I do not own any of their stocks. I use this blog to post my opinions and to share updates to science, research and general ‘goings on’ in the field of ADHD. That is what is happening here. I happen to feel very strongly about the generic Concerta not working as well as the brand name product – and that is why I am working hard in my office to support people staying on the product, and using this blog to get the information out to a broader audience as well.
now, as sad it is to say,
this may one of the few , if any who is even saying ANYTHING about this in the last months since this bull has been started.
lets be real about this now ok.
1) these are “controlled-substance” medications … ( no matter who you are, they always make a face …. on top of our current problem, they [ the pharmacists ] will never care, nor budge to do anything about it.
2) Doctors ( MD’s ) are even lucky to give you your medication as it is… even, yes !.. for your children or perhaps yourself who actually DOES NEED the HELP !…
3) After that, … with this new information, its so out of whack for our Doctors to even think of such things… ( Insurance, pharmacists giving you to work-around,.. ) etc …
– when all they have been doing and we have been even luck at this point for any of that all to this point .. provided the medication that we so desperately need to help with our every day life .
Its hard to explain this in simplest terms but.
1. not enough information has come out since these ridiculous and radical changes with medication costs and generic bullsh*t …
2. most doctors, the few that even care to help for people that really DO need this help and prescribe stimulants ( thank goodness ) … would not know any quicker than we would in a one website such as this.
ok I will. stop ranting.
but let me just say my OWN personal latest experience.
my girlfriend who has been trying to take Concerta ( name brand ) consistently for not even 6 months yet ..
NOW .. she has been covered 80% from college … for ANY medication.. Ontario Works, does not cover Concerta ( because it is new, etc )
anyway.
but NOW… she had Concerta covered 80% for 4 months now, and out of NOWHERE … the pharmacist now said , well we can cover it, except, you just need the doctor to said ” NO SUB ” on it.
I mean, she was able to get name brand without no sub. but for the INSURANCE company .. for whatever STUPID reason, they had to see “NO SUB” on the prescription, for it to be processed.
now, im sorry, we have heard many stories from different pharmacies stating they had to have no sub just to have the name brand prescribed, that is simply not the case. now just to have it covered.
her Doctor argued about it.. with HER … and I dont blame her, because she probably does not know what happening herself.
and it should NOT be the patient and doctor arguing about something silly like this.
and for what ?
to get the medication she should have expected all along ?
ok look politician screwheads. If you want to allow things like this.. generic brands of something.
you better get something placed and planned for the contingency throughout all the actions in this Country after the decision made from one silly court ruling.
Dr. Kenny.
what do you have to say about this now ?
obviously this is getting worse.
what do we say to our Physicians ? we should not even HAVE to complain. its not our place. but we would feel compelled to disclose all this information if they have not known this going on in the last year.
it makes me sick, and I for one do NOT feel I have to be the patient to explain these things to my doctor, when all my doctor should be doing is understanding my condition/symptoms, and continue helping me through our treatment and prescriptions.
so…
what can we do. ( thinking outside the box )
this IS going to get worse.
we could be the people to begin speaking out and doing SOMETHING.
could we ? can we ? please ! may we.. before I throw up
thank you friends
Dr. Kenny? =-)
This comment thread has grown quite a bit, and I wanted to chime in.
Thank you to all of you for sharing your experiences. As DJ just pointed out, often times, Doctors don’t know what is happening, and it may fall to you to explain these issues. I am honoured that my blog post can inform you, and also give you the forum to share your experiences, which are arguably more important and significant.
As of today – August 27, 2010, there is no progress to reverse the decision.
I have provided education and talks/speeches to many parents and many doctors (and many pharmacists). The fact that DJ’s girlfriend got the brand name because the pharmacist offered the card – suggests that the education that is being done is starting to work. Not completely, because the doctor didn’t know about it, and the patient had to educate the doctor.
In so far as what we can do?
Consider getting active with CADDAC (www.caddac.ca) the Canadian Centre for ADHD Advocacy. They are working on this issue.
While I would love to say that there is a fast and easy solution – I don’t know that there is, and I just advocate for education so that people can know what is going on, and know their options!
Thanks to all of you for your contributions.
Dr. Kenny
Thank you Dr. Kenny.
1. they are making changes every day it seems, every month we go for a refill its something new from these pharmacies.
now, for the first time, our College Insurance plan would not cover the prescription ( 80% ) like it has for years… UNLESS the prescription specifically stated NO-SUB.
yes people have said the same already here, but this was never an issue for us EVER. until one recent refill, they came out of nowhere to say that.
what does a good patient do ? call the Doctor and hope that he/she can be merciful and simply call in to the pharmacy to add the NO-SUB in real quick.
( yes, and for me at least, I know most Doctors never call in controlled-substances ever.. to a pharmacy )
but for my gf at least, she did though. BUT .. upon calling her and explaining it, she , surprisingly, turned completely the other way. as if she could not be bothered with such things, and then .. yes, even questioned why my gf could not just deal with the Generic ?
now, that is not acceptable though.
I know my Doctor will understand all this once I see her next in a few days to get another 3 month prescription refill
but when I explain this, she will tell me exactly what is happening. My Doctor is ok, Ive been with with them long enough.
but thats me, and 1 our of … 1000+ ??
and everybody lets please not forget that we are actually dealing with controlled-substances ( narcotics ) .
It has taken so many years just to alleviate a little bit of stereotype or what have you … to even begin with the validity concerning Adult ADD. at ALL .
and NOW, we were getting this.
thank you Dr. Kenny. We will check out that website you mentioned.
but I still feel this is a great resource to continue discussion.
this is new and going on every day as we speak ( or type
)
so we need to have this place here.
[ I am 28 yr old, use to be on 4 x 20mg Methylphenidate and then 1x 54mg Concerta + 1 x 36mg Concerta ] for over 10 years.. yes I am at the max dosage, currently slowing down to quit finally
my levels are ‘thank goodness’ evening out so I can stop finally 
but you can understand that I have known and researched myself and with my Physician as much as I could to know what we, as patients have to deal with. at least for this one, simple lack of one’s brain main function element 
anyway.
this has gotten me excited, and I hope all here will now follow or push more effort into getting involved. ( this is LIVE, happening NOW… so NOW we can start trying to do something )
btw, I am in Canada. Concerta just came here years ago. still not covered with government. but anyway.
now lets get busy
thanks friends =-)
- DJ
Today I went to the pharmacy to fill my son’s Concerta order from his Doctor. The pharmacist gave me generic pills and I questioned this.The pharmacist informed me that the generic and the original versions are identical in drug content and in mechanism of delivery.That we all know is nonsense. The pharmacist was completely uninformed about the trilayered Concerta pills which have worked brilliantly for my son and there is no way I am going to mess with something that took a long time to figure out. There is more at stake than saving a few pennies, his education, his life, his attitude, everything, will be thoroughly disrupted by changing his medication.
Thanks for the info
and that is basically the entire issue at hand right now.
they can do the Generic stuff with other meds, but for this medication… because it Is a stimulant, it is so dangerous and must be taken very very carefully.
only because this medication is considered a “narcotic” or “controlled-substance”, after all these years to overcome a lot of the challenges for decades from everybody’s bias views towards not only the medication, but ADD in General.
and NOW, we are given this bull. ( Generic medication substitutes ) . and with pharmacists who never know anything anyway but are actually trying to tell us things that we obviously know is a complete lie.
so. 1. who is making them tell us this ?
2. what is the big deal.
3. Dr. Kenny gave us a reference, and I will be checking it out this week, so I hope you will all join me then. this is just too serious to ignore, and Sue, you really hit the nail on the head about your son’s condition ” his education, his life, his attitude, everything ” . this is why this can not continue.
at least not for these meds.
every patient needs to live their life and changing medication, again, especially with stimulants such as these, are never suppose to be changed so abruptly as it is. ( Ritalin to Concerta or vice vera.).
so the fact that pharmacies will just next month give you a Generic brand as if it is the same, when its already established to be even worse…
its not safe. its not tested. its cheaper. but, its – NOT – THE – SAME !
forgive me if I sound like a ranting rampage, but we are going to have to start somewhere. this has just blown up lately. so we can try to do something ..
http://www.caddac.ca
lets get it going now
now is the time
=-)
Hello,
I have a question, my son as been taking concerta for 3 years and its been great today I went to the phamaci they gave me the generic and told me that my insurance will cover only the generic now, so if I want concerta I have to pay the deference, my question is if the doctor write no subtitut on the prescrition will my insurance have to pay for concerta??
Thank you
Chantal
Chantal – if the doctor wrote no substitution, then you would still have to pay the difference if your insurance doesn’t cover it. See if you can get one of the cards mentioned in the article above so that you won’t have to pay for that full amount.
good luck.
My 8 year old son was diagnosed about a year ago with ADHD. He has been on Concerta since then and had been doing great. Starting at the end of the school year (June 2010) last year he was waking up at night complaining he couldn’t sleep. I started to notice he was having more and more problems controlling his behaviour throughout the day when previously he had been fine. In August 2010 we went and saw the Dr and decided that perhaps he needed an increase from 27mg to 36mg. In September 2010 he started waking every night, up for hours at a time not able to sleep. One night he woke up in the night and argued/screamed and threw a tantrum in the night, very unlike my son. I did some research on the internet and found a site that suggested if your child is on too high of a dose they can experience behavioural problems including anger, sleeplessness and seem like a duller version of themselves…all things I had noticed with him since the increase. We returned to the Dr and had him decrease him back to the 27mg. He continued to be up every night for hours at a time. After discussing the matter with a pharmacist I discovered that the Generic for Concerta had come out in May 2010. I contacted the drug store and discovered that my son had been switched over to the Generic drug when it came out. After doing some research I found several comments from other parents on the net that they didn’t find the meds worked like the real thing. I found one site where they mentioned that the peak time for the generic was 3.6 hours prior to Concerta. I contacted the pharmacy and made arrangements to return what was left of his Generic meds and exchange it for the real thing. Luckily it was covered under my insurance. He started on the real Concerta just yesterday. Last night he was only up once and slept the best he has in 2 1/2 weeks. I am very upset that our children are basically being used as guinea pigs to try out cheaper medications. As you mention, it can be very disruptive to the family’s life to change medications after finding one that works well for the child!
I just started this generic concerta..and let me tell you this feel like i just popped ecstasy and crystal at the same time…
While the actual Concerta never did this…
It’s NOt the same, it’s very different…I can’t handle the ‘ high ‘ it puts me in and I’m only taking 54mg…
Seriously I don’t know what they did to it…but my god.
I don;t like these pills nor will get them again, is anyone else experiencing like the urge to clench and or stick out their jaw?
Unable to sit still, a pressure of invisible air in their chest?
Or am I the only one here?
Hi Dr. Kenny Handelman,
I was previously on 2 x 20mg ritalin a day to allow me to properly function in the class room. After taking ritalin for a month I noticed very bad rebounds after my second dose would come to an end. I lost weight very rapidly, become very easily agitated and would feel very depressed for hours after my medication stopped working. When I went to my Dr. i was given a new prescription for 36mg concerta (name brand). After testing the 36mg Concerta for two weeks it was not effective and i was then given a 72mg concerta (named brand) prescription. The concerta is working great at the new dose. The one problem is that my concerta is costing about 200$ a month. I am not currently covered by any medical insurance or any government subsidy. If i was to ask my Dr. and/or pharmacist for a Concerta co-pay card would I be eligible to use it at the pharmacy to pay the generic price instead?
Thanks for this great blog, it has helped me alot.
Devon Friday
Devon – if you got the copay card, yes it would be honoured. I think right now it is only in Ontario…
3 days with the generic and my 16 Y/O has noticed a difference and inability to control his environment later in the day. we are seeing mood swings and definite change as well.
We will be paying the difference. Hope the pay card comes to Manitoba, we just got mandated to the generic last week. back to the doctors office again…
Again guys, as this was discussed already
we all MUST go here http://www.caddac.ca/cms/page.php?210
and the COMMENT LINK is HERE !!!!!!!!
http://www.caddac.ca/cms/CADDAC_forms/CommentForm.php
This should be make it easiest as possible for you all to comment properly on this issue !
Give proper details on the effects it is doing to your children or yourself ! it is obviously a clear different in the generic Concerta and they should NOT be allowed to make it or even sell it to us while not covering the NAME BRAND Concerta anymore …
so PLEASE post your comments that you have here on that website !
and hopefully if we get enough serious comments, they will step in and do something about this SOON !
we can not wait any longer paying 200$ for expensive very much needed medication since we can NOT use the generic brand.
not for this type of medication anyways.
My Doctor told me that they already stopped giving out the Generic Brand of EFFEXOR which I am not surprised since it is also a very dangerous and meticulous type of medication that shoul;d not be made into Generic. ( people had reported suicide and other terrible things – this medication Concerta is no different )
so I urge you all again to comment NOW on this site and lets hope this will change very soon !
Thank you all friends
Force feeding us generic equivalent [to what].
I just picked up my prescription of Concerta only to discover when I got home that it was generic Nova equivalent. The pharmacy did not even tell me or prepare me for the potential side effects, they just discretely tucked an information pamphlet in the bag. Apparently it is buyer beware when your medications are concerned. As a student I can not even afford to pay the difference from generic to name brand. Because I took the prescription home I am stuck with it. Discussed with my Doctor and with the Pharmacy my concern as I am currently in classes and doing very well using Concerta. Let’s also add that I am trying to work with my doctor on adjusting my dosage to see if I am on the right one. Now I have to add another variable to the equation, a drug that most likely will not work as effectively. Nobody will listen to my concerns and I am told the Copay card is not accepted in Manitoba anymore. I have not started the new magical generic equivalent but am tingling with anticipation to see its effects on my current studies…so much for finally feeling as if I might get somewhere in life. Rest assured I will be writing a ‘generic equivalent’ fan letter to the Winnipeg Free Press after my trial run Nova[NOT].
I have to agree w/Sue (August 29, 2010 at 12:31 am). I am feeling very helpless and tired of being treated like I am being inappropriately concerned about my mental health.
Check this out on FaceBook. Any step in the ADD awareness battle is a good one. Just be aware of their terms of use (aka privacy laws).
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000891841448
Hi Dr. Handelman,
Do you have any idea when the rest of the provinces will receive the same coverage as Ontario?
Thank you for your blog. It has taken me hours of research to try to get the ‘facts’ on this absurd generic fumble.
In response to the release of the fake Concerta, a nation wide boycott of Novopharm/Teva Canada is being organized. Please visit http://mylifewithmentalillness.hostwebs.com/boycott.html for more information.
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_157656294273292&ap=1
I have contacted Janssen Ortho, which will be sending me what information they can on the objective differences between the two drugs. I will be taking this information to every organization and association that helps people with ADHD in order to spread the news about the boycott. I will post what information I can on my website for everyone to see.
I am concerned about the recent news of Concerta being genericized and view it as a large step backwards in progress to a true long-acting ADHD medication. I am currently trying to uncover the reasons behind the court overruling the appeal.
In the meantime, I wanted to leave a note here to inform parents and patients I have discovered there are three provinces that are now supplying the co-pay cards – Ontario, B.C. and New Brunswick.
Here is the link to the PDF file containing this information –
http://accesswaterlooregion.ca/admin/sources/editor/assets/pdfs_documents/Brand-Name%20Drugs%20vs%20Generics.pdf
I would also like to thank Dr. Handelman for this blog and in particular for supplying the dosing equivalent of Concerta with Ritalin SR. I will be supplying my GP with this information next week.
Generic Concerta hit Manitoba without warning (to the patients) mid-October, 2010. I tried the Teva Methylphenidate ER-C 36 mg for eight days.
It’s not equivalent at all, it is raw and uncomfortable and worse than the untreated condition.
Yesterday, I phoned the customer service 1-800 number for Teva and asked if they had a pharmokinetic chart for the drug. The nice, patient man at the other end said no, not for patients and not for doctors either. He wasn’t even sure if such a chart existed.
I asked him about the method of delivery. He went away for a couple of minutes and came back, telling me the pill dissolves slowly over time and releases the drug “in a measured manner.”
I then lodged a complaint for this drug, in a fair amount of detail, and my patient customer service guy asked questions and wrote it down (I assume.)
I told him the medication hit within an hour, chugged along for about three hours not very effectively, then became raw and supercharged and very unpleasant for a couple of hours, followed by a 1 hour tail-off and a period of deep depression, finally giving way to extremely scattered thought and aimless activity for 2 or 3 more hours. Oh, and I was irritable as hell, too.
This drug was worse than worthless — it was worse than the untreated condition.
Today I am back on trade Concerta, 36 mg. Smooth, steady, no depression crash, and no more scattered thought than usual. I took it this morning around 5, and it has just tailed off around 6 PM.
I have found the forms to fill out and send to Manitoba Health to report this drug. I told my physician, changed my druggist, reported my experience to CADDAC, and will probably write or phone CBC’s Marketplace in a day or two.
“Irritable?” Oh, yeah.
Further to Concerta coverage in MANITOBA :
Forgot to mention that my new pharmacist has an arrangement with Concerta’s parent company that covered a big chunk of the cost, actually cutting my resulting payment below what I would have paid for the fake drug. To be fair, I went over my Pharmacare deductible at the same time, so some of that savings was due to that, too. Now I have something to thank my old druggist for — making me mad enough to look for a new druggist. Overall, I am happy with how things are now.
Posted a comment for my room mate who went (excuse the term)
nuts of the generic stuff… now that she is back on the brand name
she is fine, and living her life to the fullest…
My question is this, who in the (Beep!!!) do these drug stores think
they are, by switching med’s on a person with out saying anything,
further more, perhaps the time has come to form a lobby group to
move to have new Legislation written up to protect consumers of
medication, from ever growing Generic Pirates!!!!!.
Room Mate you are totally right!!! I was furious when this drug was giving to my son. Thank god I have a good insurance and a good pharmacist.
guys, please read the previous comments on this board.
ALL OF THEM.
because your questions have been answered already here and yes there is a group and place to speak out properly.
if we all come together now and do this properly at the right website we CAN get this nonsense OVER with SOON
so please read them, please.
thank you
This is news to me.Thanx for the info. My 12 yr. son just started the gen. med. & the results are yet to be seen.He was on Concerta several yrs. ago, but discotinued it due to side effects [appetite & looked depressed].We hesitantly started medication again,as there seems little alternative. ADHD has been an issue for some time & more recently; a costly neuro-psyc. evaluation has diagnosed him with a ” disorder of written expression ” adding significantly to his problems.I’m trying to find info on the side effected of the generic.
I, middle aged male, was on Concerta and found it worked well. Now I take the generic version and I am definitely more up-and-down. It is still better than nothing of course.
I am an engineer and understand science. My store is of no value in the grand scheme of things, except as an anecdote. This is why the article was so welcome. Thanks!
My son was switched to the generic brand a couple of months ago. He’s had some issues at school “holding it together”. I took him to an appointment last week and at 2 p.m. he was literally unable to sit still. That was what decided me to put him back on the real Concerta no matter the cost. He took a karate test two days later (also at 2 p.m.) and was able to sit still for almost two hours while the other kids tested. It was night and day!
I’m writing to the insurance company as well as the ministers of health. I’d like this idiot judge who made the ruling to spend the afternoon with my son on the generic meds and see if he/she still thinks they’re interchangeable.
Good for you ! ….
and I hope you have but if you have not,
the place seems to be to re-post or re-write your story to this story in the comment section …
” we all MUST go here http://www.caddac.ca/cms/page.php?210
and the COMMENT LINK is HERE !!!!!!!!
http://www.caddac.ca/cms/CADDAC_forms/CommentForm.php ”
—- This has already been done with other important medications for some such as Effoxor ( although I do not agree with anti-depressants the same way was stimulant medication ) , but with the same related symptoms and issues…. these medications MUST be an exemption and thefore, we must make sure are voices and concerns are heard ASAP so the decision can be reviewed and the Name Brand “REAL” Concerta is allowed back on the table and covered as it has in the past.
- To Great Health for All.
- DJ
My 8 yr old son has been taking concerta 36 mg for 4 months and I thought the dosage was too high for him…awake every night till after midnight and it was a fight every day to get him to eat…doctor reduced dosage to 18 mg and when my husband went to our usual pharmacy to fill it, he was told that the concerta co-pay card was no longer valid ( we live in Ontario) and she gave him Teva-methylphenidate er-c…he has only had one dose of it, so its obviously too soon to tell if it will do the job (he takes it for ADD with no behavioural issues) My question is : Does anybody know it its a fact that the co-pay card is no longer valid in Ontario?
May – to my knowledge, the co-pay card still works in Ontario.
I have a grandson that is on the teva-methylphenidate and He is on the High end of ADHD and requires 54mg. And to be quite honest it does nothing for him. He is never still, talks alot, cannot sit still at all and it concerns me. I am going to inquire to his Dr. that He be put on the REAL Concerta. Thank you ever so much for opening my eyes.
I hope that every comment as been going on well lately – and in the proper area to make a real difference these days …………
http://www.caddac.ca/cms/CADDAC_forms/CommentForm.php ”
thank you all guys – we can make a difference with these things once and for all – there is NO excuse – My Doctor knows this – yours should – and we all have a voice to make a huge difference in this matter.
also : research Vyvanse
but keep up the great and important Fight all !
Kindest Regards,
- DJ !
how can i purchase the generic concerta from US
Julie – to my knowledge – this isn’t available in the US. You would have to come to Canada, and get a Canadian doctor to write you a prescription, and then get it filled. All in all, that would likely kill any savings you may be interested in. Besides- it doesn’t seem to work as well!
Hello. I am in the US. Apparently the generic version for Concerta that has been used in Canada has just hit the US. My 10yr old son has severe ADHD and has been on 54mg of Concerta for the past 2 1/2 yrs. It took us a long time to find something that worked well without too many side effects. His grades has never been better, and he has never been happier.
Unfortunately, when I tried to refill his Concerta, the pharmacist called me and told me I had to either use the FDA approved methylphenidate ER 54mg as a generic substitute or pay $521 for my son’s Concerta. Sadly, I cannot afford $521 for his Concerta and had to opt for the methylphenidate ER 54mg. I called my son’s doctor, and he was very reluctant to rewrite the prescription for the methylphenidate ER 54mg due to it’s subpar delivery system. I was also told by my insurance company, that even if the doctor wrote “NO SUBSTITUTE” I’d still be required to pay the $521 for my son’s Concerta. I am seriously concerned with the FDA/drug companies/insurance companies playing with our children’s mental health just to decrease costs and increase profits. When does the well-being of the consumer come into play? When will our health be more important than the all mighty dollar? Regrettably, I fear, it’ll never happen. What are my son’s options now? Any advice or help will be greatly appreciated.
I will update as I observe the differences between Concerta 54mg and the methylphenidate ER 54mg in my son. I’m hating the fact that I am forced/bullied by my insurance company to give my son an inferior product that can potentially ruin everything we have worked so hard to get right. This is so wrong!
Angela, Thanks for sharing your concerns and I’d love to hear some updates as things go.
In the US – things are a little different. For the time being, the generic version of concerta is apparently still manufactured by the same company, as I describe in this article: http://www.addadhdblog.com/generic-concerta-in-the-us/
Even with that said, I’d love to hear how the medicine actually works.
I’m also in the US and was just recently subjected by pharmcist to substitute Concerta for Methylphen in suppose equal dosage “36 mg” for my daughter. I was terrified to try this again as she got this same medicine but a different dosage a year ago and it did not work well and immediately switched back to real Concerta even tho I had to pay alot more due to insurance guidelines for using generic first. Real
Concerta has shown real progress in my daughter’s ADHD’s behavorial patterns. Once she switched over, her anxiety level rose and almost out of control at times. I do not think its right to have to pay more for the real thing than the generic brands. The generic brands are not efficient as the real thing!
What can we do to get this out in the public and get the FDA’s attention that this is hurting our kids?
The generic is garbage I hate to say it. Works (Takes away a.d.d./a.d.h.d. sympthoms) double the length of time as regular (instant release Methylphenidate) Ritalin but half as long as Concerta. I found it also worked irregularly. It worked one minute and didn’t work the next. Very up and down almost more so than IR Ritalin. Concerta is worth the extra money if you can possibly afford it. It is unfare really that people who can’t afford brand name Concerta get this cheap knock off (Nova/Teva-Methylphenidate ER C).
(I do not work for Concerta either by the way lol) I am just some guy telling whoever sees or cares my opinion on this whole thing.
Josh
Hey,
I have been on Ritalin (IR) since I was a little kid. I am now 23. Last year I went on Ritalin (IR) again. It worked really well but just a little unpredictable. I (and my doctor/psychiatrist) though I should try concerta (slow release stimulant) I got my pills and they were the generic. I was on those for about two-three months. I noticed they were super unpredictable. They kicked in really hard (felt like I was almost on coke or something) and then I slowly burnt out after 1-2pm.
This Nova/Teva methylphenidate ER C stuff is a joke. It should be illegal to give this to unsuspecting patients.
This is my 2nd day on name brand Concerta and I already notice a huge difference. I am not burnt out by 6pm I am focused from my third dose (concerta’s third burst of medication into my system) of the day.
This is my honest opinion and my doctor totally was nodding his head in understanding/agreement when I was explaining to him my view on this whole generic slow release medication issue.
I hope they take this junk (teva/nova methylphenidate ER C) off the market before somebody has a bad reaction.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Josh
Thanks for sharing your experience, Josh.
hey there,
I’ve been on concerta for about seven years now, i take 72mg once a day. when the doc put me on it, it was the best thing that ever happened to me, I mean absolutely life changing. it really and truly gave me a life i never thought i could have.
About a month ago i was switched to the generic brand and everything went down hill, it didn’t occur to me that it could be the pills because i was told they were exactly the same just cheaper. So i thought it must be me, thought i was going Crazy!
thought maybe its my diet, so online i go and found out diet is a big thing for adhd. actuly i was amazed at what i didn’t know about a disorder that i have. found out citric acid isnt good for the pills so no more citrus fruits, well it went from bad to worse, really started to think im going nuts. my hands were shaking my heart was thumping my eyes felt weird even my speech seemed to be messed up, i couldn’t think straight!
so i changed some more things and it only got worse!
i finely went to the drug store and got my concerta back and started it today i feel much much better, but still messed up abit, i hope there is no long term damage. and i can get back to my norm.
what i would really like to know is how a country like canada can allow an unsafe drug like this to be on the market. i have no drug plan so i get to pay full price but after this i would happily pay double for concerta. also i don’t think i would ever feel safe taking a generic drug again.
thanks, Natasha
{generic} – its not really .. this is kinda new lately for whatever reason that honestly doesnt matter right now anyway.
but. just to say though… after since my personal first posts about this frustration, it was based mostly from the drug plan coming from “Ontario Works” , which stopped covering the name brand for Ritalin SR and only covered Generic. ( They never covered name brand Concerta ever ) .
BUT – months and months after… we have noticed all of a sudden………. at THIS MOMENT
Ontario Works DOES cover again Ritalin SR and probably other drug plans that you may have used before that changed before with this generic stuff came into place…
BUT , for the Concerta … now – because my Girlfriend takes CONCERTA … she went again with her drug plan from her temporary Ontario Works plan between her job recently, and they NOW tell her .. they STILL do not cover the name brand Concerta , HOWEVER ..
the pharmacies , NOW seem .. as they told her., they can give her the name brand with the drug plan , BUT since it is not fully covered, they will now take the DIFFERENCE out of the price of the GENERIC brand, and then you will just have to pay the difference between the two.
that is still better than paying the full amount of the name brand instead of just paying full for name or free for generic . right
At least it is SOMETHING
but I would assume if this is for Ontario Works, it has to be something done or decided throughout other regular drug plans aswell. but I have not info for that from my experience so either Dr. Kenny knows something or you guys can continue asking the pharmacies with your current plans and see what they tell you now. … =S
—————————
Quick Side Note:
My girl had to get the generic this month only because we were broke, but we knew we could get it for free though so thats the only reason we had no choice but only for this month. I just hope she can get through this just one month on Generic until getting back to the name brand once she starts her new job and we have the cash to spend for it , ; ( without the crazy side effects … ) – hoping it will in the least just be as effective as a large 54mg Ritalin SR .. more or less
Iknow its only one month, but even one week can do a lot . so lets hope for the best.
aside from that, I am sorry for most all you others out there having to get Generic not my choice for your kids and otherwise…
Generic should be taken with this medication. My Doctor even told me with “anti-depressants” aswell, as much as I always from day one never agreed with those medicines, it is EVEN WORSE and they suprisingly STOPPED the generic almost right away after they heard even worse horror stories from it… as hard as that is to believe… after knowing about tthis stimulant med too ..
anyway I hope this helps…. continue fighting friends
good luck ! fight will continue.
P.S personally, if you can, do whatever possible to keep your kids on the real name brand of the meds, it is already difficult as it is to keep this condition controlled even with stimulants, there should NOT ever be a reason to make even worse having to mess with this generic crap. we all have enough in our lives to worry about. this should NOT be something to interfere. that is last 2 cents though.
think about it and good luck ! =-)
DJ – see if you can get one of the copay cards that is described in the article above. That way, you can get the medicine for free. You can ask the doctor to get one from a Janssen sales rep, or you can call around to pharmacies to see if they have any.
I have thought about it before, but forgot.
thank you for reminding me – I will look into it.
Regardless, that does not change anything but it helps for the time being
thank you =-)
Thank you so much for this website!
My son is 10 and has been on Concerta for a year now. Just the last couple weeks it hasn’t seemed to be working. I have questioned him several times as to whether he has taken it or not—we can almost always tell when he hasn’t! So I have been watching him take it and his behavior has still been an issue. We have talked to the counselor about going back to the doctor to see about increasing his dosage. Thankfully, it dawned on me that the last time I filled his prescription, it was the generic.
Reading this blog confirmed what I was suspecting. As of right now, I would agree that the generic is not working like the concerta, at least for my son. I am so thankful I came upon your blog…it may have saved a lot of headaches for my son and for me!
God Bless!
Further to the manufacturer’s practice of paying part of the cost of genuine Concerta: when I went for a refill this month (Aug 2011) the druggist told me that Health Canada had ordered them to stop the practice. Apparently what they did instead was to drop the cost of Concerta in Canada to match the generic stuff. I ended up paying about $82 for the 30 days of 54 mg.
I’m a University student. I took Ritalin in Highschool, and now I just started on generic Concerta. It definitely works AT LEAST as well as Ritalin. You can really feel it acting. I am guessing that it is faster acting and stronger than brand name Concerta. If you are an adult and can take these responsibly, then I am sure that the generic should be fine. I for one will continue taking it. However when it comes to young children, Concerta is probably much more trust worthy.
On a side note, stories like the one above, about parents increasing their children’s dose because they can’t sleep, make me sick. It is THE MEDICATION which causes behavioral changes and lack of sleep, obviously. I think you would have to a complete idiot to not realize this and RAISE your kids dose. In fact I think half the kids out there are only on ritalin because their irresponsible parents just don’t know how to deal with regular hyperactivity and normal low attention spans of their perfectly healthy children. I only take Ritalin because it does help me concentrate, the same as it would for any student. I don’t NEED it, I don’t think anyone does. But as an adult, it is safer to take than as a developing child. Honestly parents, get your kids off ritalin and take an effing parenting class.
I am an adult with ADHD and I have been on Concerta 36mg for a few years. I pay for my own drugs fully (self-employed, no insurance) but the last time I had a refill, it was exchanged for generic.
I have suffered panic attacks in busy situations and difficulties breathing during the last couple of weeks, reactions that are completely new to my experience, and it has cost me a lot of distress and money as I had business in NYC last week, and my work sometimes puts me into crowded situations, for which I have been unable to excel over the past few days.
I’ve never had these kind of experiences before and I am convinced that it is due to my change to generic Concerta.
I will be visiting my pharmacy on Monday to demand they replace my medication with the real Concerta. And I am a customer who doesn’t care about the cost difference, it is incidental to the difficulties caused to me by the generic substitute.
I am shocked that a pharmacist can just substitute this medication without indication and without asking permission from the person who is purchasing it/taking it/relying on it.
The Canadian Health System is failing to a huge degree, something I have experienced for a while and has caused me to seek private medical treatments at Med Can in Toronto (I highly recommend them. Who can blame one for doing that when our public system is so poor?), and entirely my expense.
Now, the drug administration system, even when you pay for it yourself, is falling into a pathetic economy-first, no thoughts to the patient/client, even when they are paying for it fully?
I think this blind-switch process is disgusting and should be illegal. There should definitely be mandatory acknowledgement by the pharmacist to the patient/client that they have changed your medication. I never would have imagined to have such strong negative consequences of such a change, but if I had been asked or told about the change, at least I would not feel completly ignored by this sad and unfortunate system. I feel like the system has caused me undue hardship, at my expense, without my consent, and I had no control over it because I was not even informed.
I am embarrassed and ashamed of the Canadian Medical System in general. It is just getting worse and worse. I am not talking about lack of funding, I am talking about lack of diligence, poor management, and bad decisions.
Darren: You just have to make sure that the doctor writes no substitutions on the prescription. It’s the insurance companies and pharmacies out there to make an extra buck off of your prescription. I was advised by my peditrician that pharmacies are doing this, without asking the buyer of the drug if it’s OK. The doctor has the last word in your prescription. If it says no substitutions then there shall be none. Hope that helps.