A patent currently prevents any generic Tamiflu from being manufactured. Once the patent expires in 2016, a company is typically given 180 days of exclusivity to manufacture a generic version of a drug. After the 180 days has passed, more manufacturers of generic medications will likely being producing generic Tamiflu.
An Overview of Generic Tamiflu
Tamiflu® (
oseltamivir phosphate) is a prescription medicine that is licensed for the prevention or treatment of the flu in adults and children 1 year of age and older. Tamiflu is manufactured by Roche Pharmaceuticals and is currently protected by a patent that prevents any generic Tamiflu from being manufactured.
When Will There Be a Generic Tamiflu?
The patent for Tamiflu expires in 2016. It is expected that once it goes off-patent, several companies will begin manufacturing a generic Tamiflu drug. Normally in the United States, one company is given 180 days of exclusivity to manufacture a generic version. After 180 days, it is likely that a number of other manufacturers of generic medications will also begin making a generic form of Tamiflu.
Is Oseltamivir Phosphate a Generic Tamiflu?
No. Oseltamivir phosphate is the active ingredient in Tamiflu, but it is not a generic Tamiflu. This can be confusing, because the active ingredient of any drug is often referred to as the "generic name." But the generic name is not the same as the generic version of a medicine. For there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine has to first go off-patent, and then another company besides the original manufacturer must start making the product.
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