How long before there's generic Claritin? And a related question...

Factual Questions
1

I know that this information might not really be available yet, but I’m looking more for educated guesses; a friend who works for a drug company doesn’t know yet, so I’m not sure solid info is out there. It seems to me that some drugs take a lot longer than others to get a generic once they become OTC, but I haven’t taken enough prescription drugs to notice how long it generally takes. Has anyone heard anything, or anyone willing to hazard a guess?

The other question I have about Claritin: Is Claritin-D a relatively new product? I know I heard about it before now, but now that I know the difference between Claritin and Claritin-D, I wonder why I was prescribed (3 years and more ago) Claritin and Flonase instead of just one medication which seems to do the work of the other two.

2

The patent was set to expire this year.

The company protested that its patent was not the usual twelve year term because of delays in approvoing the drug. An OTC version may be approved and on the shelves near you soon.

I believe the company has launched an altered version or extended release tablet of some kind (Clarinex, desloratadine) to continue reaping enormous profits.

Claritin D is just Claritin plus pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, widely available and inexpensive OTC)

[soapbox] this drug is a perfect example of how the healthcare industry hands working Americans a gun so they can shoot themselves with it.

Al Gore made quite a bit of press about this in his last campaign.

For many patients, this drug is not effective; It has been proven less effective than readily available, inexpensive Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCl) for acute allergy attacks. The overwhelming majority of people on this expensive drug do not need to be taking it at all.[/soapbox]

3

Except that for most people, Benedryl knocks them out cold. Claritin causes less drowsiness, hence the popularity over Benedryl.

for the OP, Claritin is NOW available OTC, I saw it in Wal-Mart this week.

4

I’ll repeat that Benadryl (diphenhydramine) does tend to knock people out, reduce reaction time, and can cause drowsiness for up to 24 hours after taking a dose. That said, I always carry some just in case I have an acute attack because it works. Knocks an allergy on its butt.

elfkin, as mentioned “Claritan-D” is Claritan with pseudoephedrine in it. Pseudoephedrine can cause a rise in blood pressure, shakes, dizziness, and a pounding heart as side effects. Because it has more side effects than Claritan alone, your doc may have chosen not to prescribe it, especially if you have any sort of high blood pressure (which you may or may not have, I haven’t a clue, of course).

There probably are a lot of people taking allergy meds who really don’t need them - their problem is something other than an allergy. (A number of things can be mistaken for one). It’s probably best for folks with relatively mild allergies, taken before an attack actually starts.

If I recall correctly, Flonase acts by temporarially desensitizing the nasal tissue to irritants. In other words, it suppresses allergy symptoms by treating just the tissues exhibiting symptoms, instead of drenching your entire body in a pharmaceutical. This reduces the chances of side effects. So you doctor was probably doing you a favor by giving you that one instead of another pill to swallow.

Claritan is OTC now in the greater Chicago area. Not particularly cheap, but cheaper than when it was prescription for sure. The generic should be along in a year or two. There’s probably another court battle to get through before the maker concedes that yes, the patent really has run out.

Of course, now the maker is claiming “Clarinex” is vastly superior to Clairtin, hoping to hold onto the prescription market. Is it? I doubt it. Of course, I am not a doctor, or pharmacist, or connected to the pharmaceutical industry. And since Claritin was not the be-all end-all of allergy medicines anyway, and there have always been drugs better at treating allergies (granted, they have more side effects, too) doing Claritin one better probably isn’t that great a leap.

5

Ahhh, the old “once through the liver, and Bob’s your uncle” routine has gotten real popular with the drug Co’s.

-MD Browse

6

Claritin has been OTC in Canada for years. We bring our daughter-in-law (who is a physician!) a supply every time we visit.

7

I love Claritin, although I took Benadryl for many years; Benadryl is great for acute attacks, but I absolutely cannot function while taking it. I’m a danger to myself and others. (And BTW, when I was a kid, Benadryl was only available by prescription.) AFAIK Flonase is only for nasal symptoms, which are the least of my problems.

For those of us who are asthmatics, we can’t afford to take Benadryl all the time when our allergies are acting up just to forestall an attack; we just wouldn’t be able to function. There is a time and a place for both; Claritin probably wouldn’t have stopped an evil allergic reaction I had once to sulfa, which was, in itself, quite dangerous. (I broke out in hives and pased out on the floor of the pharmacy where I’d gone to pick up the prescription to replace the sulfa, once the hives came on.) All the same, I’m glad Claritin has gone over the counter; even if it’s more expensive than it would have been with my prescription co-pay, it’ll be more available to those who have a hard time getting to a doctor. And I’m hanging in there for that generic!

How expensive is Claritin OTC in Canada? Maybe I need to pay y’all a visit sometime…

8

Alavert is the new brand of loratadine. It is available now.

9

I take Flonase and Zyrtec, and the reason I was prescribed both is that, while the Flonase is more effective for the nasal symptoms, it doesn’t do anything for itchy, watery eyes, which I frequently get in reaction to cats. The Zyrtec takes care of the eyes. Every year when I start using Flonase for allergy symptoms, I have to use Sudafed short-term, because it takes the Flonase a while to kick in.