An Overview of Generic Flagyl
Flagyl® (
metronidazole) is a prescription antibiotic medication used to treat a variety of different infections. It is effective against certain parasites as well as many different types of anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive).
Brand-name Flagyl is made by Pfizer, Inc. However, several forms of Flagyl are available as generics.
Forms and Strengths of Generic Flagyl
Generic Flagyl is available in the following strengths and forms:
Injectable Flagyl (given by IV) is also available in generic form. Currently, there are no generic versions of long-acting Flagyl ER tablets.
Who Makes Generic Flagyl?
Generic Flagyl is made by several different companies, including (but not limited to):
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Sandoz Pharmaceuticals
- Watson Laboratories
- Pliva
- Par Pharmaceuticals.
Is Generic Metronidazole as Good as Flagyl?
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
metronidazole capsules and tablets currently available have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Flagyl.
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.
