Is a Generic Form of Catapres-TTS Available?
Catapres-TTS® (
clonidine hydrochloride) is a prescription medication approved for the treatment of
high blood pressure, also known as
hypertension. It belongs to a group of medications known as alpha-2 adrenergic agonists. It comes in the form of a skin patch that is applied just once a week.
Brand-name
Catapres-TTS is made by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. However, this medication is also available in generic form.
Generic clonidine patches are available in the following strengths:
- Clonidine transdermal system, 0.1 mg per day
- Clonidine transdermal system, 0.2 mg per day
- Clonidine transdermal system, 0.3 mg per day.
Who Makes Generic Catapres-TTS?
Generic Catapres-TTS is made by Aveva Drug Delivery Systems for Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc.
Are Generic Clonidine Patches as Good as Catapres-TTS?
All generic medications must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns each generic a rating.
For patch medications, An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. All of the generic clonidine patches currently available have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Catapres-TTS.
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers, dyes, or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with
allergies or sensitivities.
