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Generic Plaquenil
Several drug companies currently manufacture generic Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), including Sandoz, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, and Watson Laboratories. The generic medication, which is sold by the name hydroxychloroquine, is only available in a 200 mg strength. The FDA has determined that all generic Plaquenil products currently available are equivalent to the brand-name version of the drug.
Plaquenil® (hydroxychloroquine sulfate) is a prescription medication used to prevent and treat malaria. It is also used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Brand-name Plaquenil is made by sanofi-aventis. However, it has come off patent and is now available as a generic.
Generic Plaquenil is available in one strength -- Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg tablets.
Generic hydroxychloroquine is made by many different companies, including:
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals
- Sandoz
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Watson Laboratories.
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 hydroxychloroquine versions currently available have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Plaquenil.
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.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD