In another move by the Food and Drug Administration to end the patent on brand name drugs, Xyzal (levocetirizine) was approved as a generic medication this week. Xyzal was been available in the United States since 2007 as the active isomer of Zyrtec (cetirizine), which is available over-the-counter and in generic forms. Xyzal is approved for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and urticaria, and in my opinion, is the most effective low-sedating antihistamine available. It has a low incidence of side effects, although many of my readers have complained of increased appetite and weight gain as a side effect. In addition to Xyzal going generic, Clarinex was recently approved as a generic medication as well, and Allegra will be available over-the-counter this spring. All of this news suggests that oral antihistamines will be more widely available in the very near future, and should make allergy season far more tolerable.
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Isn’t that a great news for allergy sufferers? Xyzal was approved as a generic medication this week. Patients would not have to pay high cash price(many insurances do not pay for it) or the high copay of the brand Xyzal.
Actually you are mistaken BECAUSE insurance DID cover it, there were also manufacturer coupons so I was getting it for FREE but now that it’s generic, I have to pay full price outside of what insurance pays and the generic is the same price as the regular minus oh about $2. Waiting for the next drug to come out this is stupid.
There is a difference between “generic” and “over the counter”. My insurance will cover generic xyzal for an eleven
dollar co-pay(3 mo supply). The co-pay for the brand xyzal was fifty-two dollars(3 mo supply).
When a drug becomes “over the counter”, no prescription is required and insurance will not cover it.
Been using Xyzal for two years now to successfully control symptoms of dermographism. I switched to the generic two weeks ago and my symptoms have returned. I work in a FP Clinic and understand that the generics go through testing but this is one generic that is not up to par. I’ll gladly pay $3 a pill to not itch and be covered with red marks.
I have chronic allergies and many medications don’t work for me. I was taking allegra D-24 hour which was working great. I just found out now that it has become an over the counter medication and the insurance will not cover it, even if the doctor prescribed it. I have tried the over the counter but it was not working. The prescribed one did. Now I either find another medication that has the same ingredients but that it is still “with prescription” or I will have to pay it out of my pocket. I’m not happy.