read the comments on wellbutrin xl on this site, one comment suggested getting wellbutrin, more $$? have very mild depression and adult ADHD. met with doctor today and when i picked up medication was burporpion, subsitute for Wellbutrin. so started investigating before i get started. appreciate the comments.
Is there a difference between bupropion hcl xl and wellbutrin xl?
Question posted by scott22 on 11 June 2014
Last updated on 10 August 2016 by joearnold555
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4 Answers
joearnold555
10 Aug 2016
the difference between wellbutrion xl and wellbutrion xl hcl
mapler
10 Sep 2015
2 posts above this is a very good and comprehensive reply about generics being equivalent to the original branded drug. But that is in theory. In practice it has been a very different story. Take for example bupropion xl 300mg. It was on the market 6 years before the FDA was forced to admit it never checked the bioequivalence of the drug. Yes same amount fo active ingredient, but the way they made the tablet meant it didn't release the ingredient any more than a 150mg...
All fixed now aparently and they FDA say the have updated the protocols for dtermining bioequivalence, rather than guessing, whcih is in effect what hapenned in this case.
Lots of media reports on this one, including a good one in new York time, see fda rlupdates here: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm322161.htm
WildcatVet
12 June 2014
Hi, Scott! Generics do contain exactly the same drug as the brand names, but they are allowed to contain anywhere from 80 - 125% of the drug.
On occasion, I've found that one generic doesn't seem quite the same as the last; this is because most pharmacies will re-stock with the least expensive to keep your costs down.
It you find that happens to you, you can ask your pharmacist to special order the one you liked. It may cost a tad more, but being generics it's never cost me more that a dollar or two.
Best wishwes, WCV
DzooBaby
12 June 2014
From the FDA website:
What are generic drugs?
A generic drug is identical -- or bioequivalent -- to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price. According to the Congressional Budget Office, generic drugs save consumers an estimated $8 to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies. Even more billions are saved when hospitals use generics.
Is there a generic equivalent for my brand-name drug?
To find out if there is a generic equivalent for your brand-name drug, use Drugs@FDA, a catalog of FDA-approved drug products, as well as drug labeling.
You can also search for generic equivalents by using the "Electronic Orange Book." Search by proprietary "brand" name," then search again by using the active ingredient name. If other manufacturers are listed besides the "brand name" manufacturer when searching by the "active ingredient," they are the generic product manufacturers.
Since there is a lag time after generic products are approved and they appear in the "Orange Book," you should also consult the most recent monthly approvals for "First Generics".
Are generic drugs as effective as brand-name drugs?
Yes. A generic drug is the same as a brand-name drug in dosage, safety, strength, quality, the way it works, the way it is taken and the way it should be used.
FDA requires generic drugs have the same high quality, strength, purity and stability as brand-name drugs.
Not every brand-name drug has a generic drug. When new drugs are first made they have drug patents. Most drug patents are protected for 20 years. The patent, which protects the company that made the drug first, doesn't allow anyone else to make and sell the drug. When the patent expires, other drug companies can start selling a generic version of the drug. But, first, they must test the drug and the FDA must approve it.
Creating a drug costs lots of money. Since generic drug makers do not develop a drug from scratch, the costs to bring the drug to market are less; therefore, generic drugs are usually less expensive than brand-name drugs. But, generic drug makers must show that their product performs in the same way as the brand-name drug.
How are generic drugs approved?
Drug companies must submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for approval to market a generic product. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, more commonly known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, made ANDAs possible by creating a compromise in the drug industry. Generic drug companies gained greater access to the market for prescription drugs, and innovator companies gained restoration of patent life of their products lost during FDA's approval process.
New drugs, like other new products, are developed under patent protection. The patent protects the investment in the drug's development by giving the company the sole right to sell the drug while the patent is in effect. When patents or other periods of exclusivity expire, manufacturers can apply to the FDA to sell generic versions.
The ANDA process does not require the drug sponsor to repeat costly animal and clinical research on ingredients or dosage forms already approved for safety and effectiveness. This applies to drugs first marketed after 1962.
What standards do generic drugs have to meet?
Health professionals and consumers can be assured that FDA approved generic drugs have met the same rigid standards as the innovator drug. To gain FDA approval, a generic drug must:
contain the same active ingredients as the innovator drug(inactive ingredients may vary)
be identical in strength, dosage form, and route of administration
have the same use indications
be bioequivalent
meet the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity, and quality
be manufactured under the same strict standards of FDA's good manufacturing practice regulations required for innovator products
scott22
12 June 2014
Thank you very much and if you're a military vet thank you for your service to our Country!
scott22
12 June 2014
sorry i thought it was the other respondent but thank you for all this information. i very hesitant to start this drug.
dirwin777
21 Jan 2015
I am prescribed Wellbutrin. Initially I used the name brand Wellbutrin with excellent results. With insurance coverage I was forced to use a generic brand. Over the past several years I have taken the generic brand Wellbutrin from three different companies. Although one generic brand provided close benefit, the other two were like placebos. In my situation there is a tremendous difference in taking the name brand Wellbutrin and generic . Benefits of medication aren't just from the main drug, BUT also how it binds with the indirect 'Fillers." It is misleading to say generic brands are equivalent to name brand drugs based only because the main ingredients are the same.
DzooBaby
11 June 2014
Nothing much. One (Wellbutrin) is a brand name. Bupropion is a generic name. The active ingredients are the exact same but the inert (non active) ingredients can be different.
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wellbutrin, wellbutrin xl, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), hairy cell leukemia, bupropion, doctor, medication, adult adhd
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