Mirapex Generic: An Overview
Mirapex is made by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Currently, no generic Mirapex is available in the United States. However, if you search the Internet, you may find a number of companies selling it. These medicines could be fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. Generic Mirapex may be available from another country, but there is no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Mirapex or not. You should not buy any generic Mirapex until there is an approved version available.
When Will Generic Mirapex Be Available?
The first patent for Mirapex is set to expire in March 2011. In most situations, this would mean that 2011 would be the earliest that a generic version of the drug could become available. However, Barr Pharmaceuticals (a major generic drug manufacturer) and the makers of Mirapex have entered into a settlement in which Barr will be allowed to market a generic version of Mirapex no later than January 1010.
Is Pramipexole the Same as Generic Mirapex?
No -- pramipexole is the active ingredient in Mirapex, but it is not a generic version of it. What can be confusing is that, oftentimes, the active ingredient of a drug is referred to as the "generic name." The generic name is different from a generic version of a medicine. In order for there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine must have gone off-patent and another company besides the original manufacturer must make the product.
