Is a Generic Version of Bactrim Available?
Bactrim® (
sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim) is a prescription antibiotic medication used to treat a variety of different infections. It contains sulfamethoxazole (a sulfonamide, or "sulfa" antibiotic) and trimethoprim (another antibiotic that helps sulfamethoxazole to work better).
Brand-name Bactrim is manufactured by Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, Inc. and is marketed and distributed by AR Scientific. However, this medication has come off patent and is now available in generic form.
- Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim 400/80 mg -- 400 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of trimethoprim (generic for regular-strength Bactrim)
- Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim 160/800 mg -- 800 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of trimethoprim (generic for Bactrim DS).
Because "sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim" is such a long name, it is often shortened to "sulfamethoxazole/TMP," especially on prescription labels.
Who Makes Generic Bactrim?
Generic Bactrim is made by several companies, including:
- Sandoz
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Watson Pharmaceuticals
- URL Pharma.
Is Generic Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim as Good as Bactrim?
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. An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. All of the generic sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim versions currently have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Bactrim.
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers or dyes or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with
allergies or sensitivities.
