Many patients are upset to learn that brand name Coumadin, manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has been discontinued in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Saudi Arabia June 1, 2020.
Some patients have been on Coumadin for over 30 years and had to switch to generics. However, there are many patients who complained that they had serious side effects with generics and could not manage their INR (a blood test to check how long it takes your blood to clot) levels as before.
It is very important that you know what company makes your warfarin so that your blood tests are not affected. One way to avoid confusion is to always get your prescription refilled at the same pharmacy and verify the manufacturer when picking up your medication.
Is Warfarin Same as Coumadin?
Coumadin is the brand name warfarin manufactured by BMS.
Warfarin is an anticoagulant – also known as “blood thinner”, a vitamin K antagonist – to prevent life-threatening blood clots with a certain type of irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation), heart valve replacement, recent heart attack, and certain surgeries (such as hip/knee replacement).
Are Other Alternative Brand Names Coumadin Available?
BMS Coumadin is no longer available anywhere in the world. What has happened is that permission from BMS has been granted to use the Coumadin name in some countries, but the product is made by different manufacturers.
The current available Coumadin is coming from Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey.
In Australia and New Zealand, warfarin is only available in two commercial preparations: Coumadin and Marevan. Both brands are manufactured by the same company, Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd, and previously by Boots Healthcare Australia Pty Ltd.
Recent news is that Aspen Pharma is no longer the Australian sponsor of Coumadin and Marevan and the distribution is now done by Mylan Health. So, you might see Mylan on the label of Coumadin from Australia in the future.
Coumadin from Australia contains either 1 mg, 2 mg, or 5 mg of warfarin sodium as the active ingredient.
Compare prices with brand coumadin from Australia and other countries and see the cost savings!
Although the product is the correct brand and is considered therapeutically equivalent, this product is not the same Coumadin produced by BMS that was sold in the USA.
Is Jantoven Generic for Coumadin?
Several generic warfarin products have been approved, and you might have seen other brands, such as Jantoven, Marevan, Lawarin, Waran or Uniwarfin.
They have the same active ingredients as Coumadin, so they will work the same way, but there may be small changes between their formulas, such as the binders and the dye which may cause your body to react differently.
Jantoven is a generic warfarin supplied by UPSHER-SMITH Laboratories in the United States. It is a registered trademark of UPSHER-SMITH. Meaning, Jantoven is simply generic warfarin, not a brand name as Coumadin is.
Compare Prices with Jantoven And Other Generics and See the Cost Savings!
Cheapomeds carries Jantoven and ships it out from dispensaries located in the United States. So, you can get Jantoven in the shortest time.
Generic Warfarin from Taro Canada
There are a few manufacturers that produce generic warfarin.
Many patients have used Taro-warfarin for at least 10 years because they trust Taro’s consistency between prescriptions and experience in producing this generic medication.
Taro Pharma provides warfarin tablets in the same strengths as Coumadin by BMS: 1 mg, 2 mg, 2.5 mg, 3 mg, 4 mg, 5 mg, 6 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg.
Compare prices with generic coumadin and brand products and see the cost savings!
Can I Switch from Warfarin (Coumadin) To Eliquis Or Other Direct Oral Anticoagulants?
For about 50 years, warfarin was the only choice for people who needed to take an oral anticoagulant (blood thinner).
Warfarin has a narrow therapeutic window that can be affected by factors such as diet, so an issue for patients on warfarin is that they need to have their INR monitored regularly.
Most of the time your INR goal is between 2-3 or 2.5 – 3.5, however, your healthcare provider will determine your exact goal.
Now, new oral blood thinners are available that are just as effective as warfarin at preventing strokes in people with atrial fibrillation and normal heart valves. These medications are known as direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), which work by blocking a clotting protein called Factor Xa, which is one of several clotting factors in our blood.
Apixaban (Eliquis) was the third direct oral anticoagulant – following dabigatran (Pradaxa; Boehringer Ingelheim) in 2010 and rivaroxaban (Xarelto; Bayer/Janssen) in 2011 – to gain approval in the United States. Edoxaban (Savaysa; Daiichi Sankyo) followed by entering the market in 2015.
Pros:
DOACs have advantages over warfarin: they don’t require regular blood tests, involve no food restrictions, and have fewer medication interactions.
Cons:
There are factors to consider before you switch to a DOAC:
- The cost: The price of Eliquis is more than 20 times that of warfarin.
- People with severely impaired kidney function cannot safely take some of the new medications.
- Missing just one dose puts you at a higher risk of a stroke compared with missing a warfarin dose. That is because DOACs are short-acting, while warfarin keeps working for longer than 24 hours. So, if you have trouble keeping track of your medications or sometimes miss doses, you probably want to stick with warfarin.
- Eliquis and others like it may not work for people who have FACTOR V LEIDEN. This gene mutation leads to the inability of protein C to cleave and degrade factor V, leading to increased tendency to form blood clots. However, there have not been any randomized control trials using Eliquis in specific hypercoagulable disorders.
Either generic warfarin or Eliquis could be a better alternative to Coumadin in your case but a thoughtful conversation with your physician and pharmacist should take place before making any changes.
Brand-name Eliquis can be an expensive medication. A cheaper, generic version of Eliquis could mean that people will be able to have easier access to the medication.
Generic Eliquis is not available in the United States. However, Cheapomeds can source generic Eliquis for you.
Compare prices with generic Eliquis and brand products and see the cost savings!
Is It Safe to Buy Medications from Cheapomeds?
As an international online prescription referral service, Cheapomeds is certified by CIPA (Canadian International Pharmacy Association).
CIPA member pharmacies have a 100% perfect safety record, serving millions of American customers since 2002 and selling pharmaceuticals at up to 80% less than in the U.S.
Many of CIPA member customers come directly from referrals from their healthcare providers, who have done their homework and recognize CIPA’s legitimacy and safety protocols.
Cheapomeds can source medications from the international market, and the international price can be much cheaper than your local medications.
But cheap does not mean low quality! The products dispensed by our pharmacy partners are tightly regulated and adhere to the standards required by their local and national regulatory agencies.
Related Articles:
· Coumadin Brand is Being Discontinued – Generic Warfarin is Still Available
· Generic Xarelto To Treat and Prevent Blood Clots, Now Available!
· Generic Eliquis: Direct Oral Anticoagulant Offers Lower-Cost Alternatives
· How Prescription Pradaxa (dabigatran) Prevents Strokes due to Blood Clots
References:
- health.harvard.edu
- circleid.com
- myheart.net
This article is sponsored by CheapoMeds. If you have questions about your prescription medications or any other medication, please contact our team at CheapoMeds by calling toll free 1-844-4CHEAPO (424-3276). One of our patient representatives will be happy to assist you or transfer you to a licensed Canadian pharmacist for a free consultation.
This article contains medical information provided to help you better understand this medical condition or process and may contain information about medication often used as part of a treatment plan prescribed by a doctor. It is not intended to be used as either a diagnosis or recommendation for treatment of your medical situation. If you are unwell, concerned about your physical or mental state, or are experiencing symptoms you should speak with your doctor or primary health care provider. If you are in medical distress, please contact emergency services (such as 911).
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