What you need to know about Latisse

By: MedSafetyCoach - March 16th, 2011  Filed under: Featured, Latisse Add Comment

Prescription Latisse

Allergan Latisse, bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03, a topical eyelash growth product, is taking the online pharmacy industry by storm.   Since Latisse was FDA approved about 2 years ago, there has been over 1.5 million bottles sold.  TV commercials and magazine ads have made Allergan Latisse one of the most sought after among women, primarily for cosmetic reasons.  The broad appeal, as well as the fact that this medication can be used by virtually any adult, has made this product very successful in a short amount of time.  Are you interested in trying Latisse?  Here’s what you need to know.

-Does Latisse Work? The active ingredient in Allergan Latisse is bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03.  This medication makes your current lashes darker, thicker and longer, but it only works on the lashes you currently have.  If you stop using Allergan Latisse and your current lashes fall out, the new one growing in will be the same as before you began using the product.  Latisse results are generally positive among users however, you need to continue to use the product consistently to maintain your results.

-Is there a generic form of Latisse?  The manufacture Allergan holds the patent on Latisse until January 2022, so if you find a company claiming to sell this generic, stay away!  Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03 is also the active ingredient in the medication Lumigan, so there has been a lot of internet chatter about using Lumigan in place of Latisse.  In theory, Lumigan  and Latisse results should have the same effect in improving eyelashes, however Lumigan is intended to treat glaucoma and it is not advisable to take any medication for a disease you do not have.  Not to mention that if you try to get it with your insurance, your insurance company could consider that fraud.   

-Can you get Latisse without a prescription?  Your doctor or dermatologist has to write you a prescription for this medication before you can get it, Latisse without prescription is illegal.  Don’t buy from a site that says you don’t need one.   In some states, your optometrist or plastic surgeon can also prescribe this medication.  Side effects of Latisse can range from none to moderate, especially for people who have had skin or eye trouble in the past, so it is best to check with your doctor before using this medication or any bimatoprost ophthalmic solution.

-What are the side effects of Latisse?  The most talked about side effects of Latisse is that it could darken the colored part of your eye and your eyelid.  Although it’s true that the can have these effects, in clinical trials of Allergan Latisse they found few incidents of changing your eye color and only a minimal darkening of the eyelid.  If in the rare case that you eye color does darken, it will probably be permanent, however if it’s the eyelid, the skin should lighten back to its original pigment after you stop using bimatoprost ophthalmic solution.  In addition, Latisse could cause hair growth in other places.  Latisse instructions explicitly state that the product should not be used on the lower lashes.  If the skin is exposed to repeated dosages of the active ingredient you could start to sprout excessive and dark hairs in that location.  So keep Latisse away from your cheeks!  Side effects of Latisse of course vary from person to person, however users are generally happy with Latisse results.

-How much is Latisse and where can I buy Latisse?  The Latisse price can vary anywhere from $99 – $200.  You can get Allergan Latisse from your local pharmacy with a prescription.  If you are looking to order Latisse online, I suggest my recommended pharmacy, FirstClassPharmacy.com.  The current price is around $168 for home delivery.  Latisse does offer a rebate on their product after the first use with membership to their LashPerks program.  For more information on Latisse rebate, click here.

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Tags: bimatoprost, eye color, eye lashes, eyes, generic, Latisse, Lumigan

Are generics really the same as brand name medications?

By: MedSafetyCoach - August 31st, 2010  Filed under: FDA Regulations and Programs, Health and Body Safety, How To Buy, Latisse, Soma Add Comment

Most generics work the same as brand name medications and can be a more cost-effective than brand name medications.  Although generics can be a great alternative to costly brand name medications, there are a few things to research before making any purchases. 

- Is the generic legal? A generic drug has the same active ingredient but is labeled under its scientific name, not brand name. A generic version of the drug can be manufactured and sold only when the patent of a brand name medication expires.   For example,generic Latisse does not exits because the manufacturing companies still have an active patent on these medications, whereas generic Soma can be sold as Carisoprodol since the original patent has expired.   Do some simple research before you buy to make sure that you generic is even legal in the USA before you buy.

-Is the generic bio-equivalent? The FDA required that a generic version of a drug must use the same active ingredients as the brand name drug and meet the same standards for quality and safety including dosage strength, the way it works, the way it is taken, the way it’s intende

are generics the same as brand name?

Generic Medications

d to be used and the health conditions that it treats.  A pharmaceutical manufacturer that wants to sell their generic drug must offer proof of bio-equivalency to the FDA. To be considered bio-equivalent, the active ingredients in a generic drug must be absorbed at a similar rate and in a similar amount as the brand name equivalent.  Many companies will offer “generic” versions of medications that are actually herbal treatments, not an bio-equivalent of the brand name medication they claim to be.  Check to make sure that the medication you are ordering is FDA approved before you buy.

-Can you tolerate the inactive ingredients? Although generic drugs must have the same active ingredients as the brand name versions, the inactive ingredients may be different and some people may have allergic reactions to inactive ingredients. Inactive ingredients can include colors, preservatives, and fillers.  The generic version doesn’t have to act exactly the same but it does have to meet specific criteria set by the FDA.  Make  sure that the generics you are buying does not have any allergens that you will react to, such as fish, gluten or pollens.

-Which company produces the generic? Just like brand name, the FDA puts all generic drugs through a review process to assure quality, safety, and efficacy. The FDA requires that generic manufacturing plants meet the same standards as brand name plants. The FDA conducts approximately 3,500 on-site inspections each year to ensure compliance. In fact, did you know that  approximately 50% of all generic drugs are made by the same brand name companies? Before you buy, check for information to make sure your generic was produced here in the USA with a reputable company.

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Tags: allergies, bio-equivalency, brand name, FDA, generic, Latisse, soma

Feds and FDA close down two online pharmacies

By: MedSafetyCoach - August 24th, 2010  Filed under: FDA Regulations and Programs, Health and Body Safety, News Stories, Soma Add Comment

CNN recently did a story on two online pharmacies that are filling orders for customers without first having a valid prescription.  See the complete story and video here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/19/us.online.pharmacies.probe/index.html?hpt=T2   This just serves as a remind that there is a right and wrong way to order medication online and the FDA is paying close attention to this increasingly troubled industry.

“This is a pretty large ring of at least 200 websites that acted as internet pharmacies that were basically selling drugs — prescription drugs — without requiring a valid prescription,” John Horton, a former official in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, told CNN. “These affidavits indicate this was a multiyear, multimillion-dollar operation involving thousands and thousands of prescriptions. Going back in time, there were even deaths involved with this organization.”

Source: Aug. 23, 2010. Fitzpatrick, David and Griffin, Drew. “Feds begin crackdown on online pharmacies” retreieved from http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/19/us.online.pharmacies.probe/index.html?hpt=T2

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Tags: abuse, FDA, fraud, legal, news story, soma

Generic Viagra, Generic Cialis and Generic Levitra? No such thing.

By: MedSafetyCoach - July 16th, 2010  Filed under: FDA Regulations and Programs, Health and Body Safety, Online Overseas Pharmacies, Viagra, Levitra and Cialis 1 Comment

Generic Viagra is not safeContrary to popular belief, there is no legal generic Viagra,  generic Cialis or generic Levitra.  The patents on these drugs are still active, Viagra being the oldest and due to expire 2012 (Levitra expires in 2018 and Cialis expires between 2017 and 2020).  So why is there so many sites out there selling these so called “generics’?

Offshore pharmacies are trying to make a buck by taking advantage of the high cost of erectile dysfunction medications.  Most of these drugs are made overseas in Chinese or Indian pharmacies where they are not subject to US patent law.  That means they can legally produce the generic Viagra, generic Levitra and generic Cialis, but it is illegal to ship them into or sell in the USA.  Not only is it buying these medications online supporting violation of the patent law, but these erectile dysfunction drugs are not FDA approved and can be very dangerous.

These illegal websites often promote “Viagra” but send the consumer counterfeit drugs. Some sites promote “generic Viagra” or “generic sildenafil citrate”-although this is not legally possible since there is no FDA-approved version of generic Viagra. The tactic can be misleading to consumers, who routinely purchase legitimate FDA-approved generic versions of other drugs. Pfizer receives letters from consumers who unknowingly purchase fake Viagra from such websites, and receive drug that doesn’t work or makes them ill.

According to a recent national survey of 676 men aged 35+, 20 percent of men who purchase erectile dysfunction medications buy them online, and two-thirds of them don’t check to see if the website they are purchasing from is legitimate. Only 38 percent of all men surveyed believe it is essential to have a doctor’s prescription in order to purchase Viagra.

According to the FDA, drug counterfeiters defraud consumers by selling products that resemble legitimate drugs but may contain inactive or incorrect ingredients; contain improper doses of active ingredients; or be otherwise contaminated. Other risks and consequences of purchasing ED products online from illegitimate websites may include:

Safety Risks:

– Fake or “generic” erectile dysfunction drugs may be manufactured in unregulated factories, often in regions of the world that do not share the same rigorous standards for pharmaceutical manufacturing applied in the U.S.

– The drugs may contain dangerous additives

– Obtaining erectile dysfunction pills through these sources requires no physician consultation or assessment of potential interactions with other drugs being taken by the individual

–The illegal drugs may not work as claimed, or at all.

Medical News Today, August 4, 2004.  Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/11656.php

Keep yourself and your wallet safe- stick with name brand Viagra, Cialis and Levitra filled from a US pharmacy.  I recommend my go to pharmacy FirstClassPharmacy.com to order erectile dysfunction medication online.

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Tags: canadian, cilais, erectile dysfunction, generic, india, levitra, overseas pharmacies, viagra