Avodart, fake or real?

[zlodnick]

I was just perscribed Avodart by my urologist.

I got the capsules from the hospital pharmacy. The printing on the capsules is in black, but a google search says the printing is in red.

Is it possible they could be fake?

[Buzzz]

I purchased recently at Fascino. The printing is black, not red like in their promotions.

"Dutasteride (Avodart) is a white to pale yellow powder. The soft gelatin capsules are printed with edible red ink."

[zlodnick]

So what do you think Buzz, is ok or not?

[1FinickyOne]

my very limited experience with generic drugs here is that they seem to use the exact same ingredients at 10% of the cost of purchasing the original back home... and the results have been exactly the same.

I would try a generic first - - check the ingredients.

Again, my experience has been very limited but have never heard of anyone complain of their experience w/a generic..

[zlodnick]

Kenk24

I dont believe there is a generic avalable yet.

[Buzzz]

Has a generic version of Avodart been approved?

A generic version of Avodart has been approved by the FDA. However, this does not mean that the product will necessarily be commercially available - possibly because of drug patentsand/or drug exclusivity. The following products are equivalent to Avodart and have been approved by the FDA:

dutasteride capsule;oral

• Manufacturer: ACTAVIS LABS FL INC
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: AMNEAL PHARMS
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: APOTEX INC
  Approval date: November 24, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: AUROLIFE PHARMA LLC
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: BARR
  Approval date: December 21, 2010
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: BIONPHARMA INC
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: BRECKENRIDGE PHARM
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: INTERGEL PHARMS INC
  Approval date: March 17, 2016
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: MYLAN PHARMS INC
  Approval date: June 14, 2016
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: RISING PHARMS INC
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: ROXANE
  Approval date: November 23, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: STRIDES PHARMA
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]
• Manufacturer: VINTAGE PHARMS LLC
  Approval date: November 20, 2015
  Strength(s): 0.5MG ^[AB]

Note: Fraudulent online pharmacies may attempt to sell an illegal generic version of Avodart. These medications may be counterfeit and potentially unsafe. If you purchase medications online, be sure you are buying from a reputable and valid online pharmacy.

[zlodnick]

I really just want to take GSK Avodart, but am concerned that the lettering on my capsules is not in red like the GSK website says.

[Oxx]

If it were a fake, surely they'd have printed in red, rather than black. Just common sense.

What precisely has the pharmacy given you? Is it the GSK version, or is it a generic? And if it's a generic, who's the manufacturer? If the former, I suggest you contact GSK and ask whether they do a version with black lettering.

[zlodnick]

Thanks Oxx,

Thats exactly what I told my wife, that a fake would be in red.

Im taking GSK Avodart.

I called the GSK Bangkok office. They just took my phone number and said they would call back. Ive been here long enough to know they wont be calling back.

[Buzzz]

Watched a program on counterfeiting drugs a few years ago.

They needed a yellow coloring for the pills they were producing so broke into the road department and stole yellow paint that was meant for painting yellow lines on the road!

[Sheryl]

In all my eyars here, I never come across hospital pharmacies selling fakes. Nor have I coem across counterfeit meds of other than drugs popular with tourists and/or controlled substances. Plenty of counterfeit ED drugs and counterfeit benzos out thtere (not in hospitals, but street vendors and some pharmacies esp. in tourist/sexpat venues)...but mainstream pharmaceuticals, no. In Thailand they are pretty reliable.

According to MIMS, the pharm directory for thailand, Avodart caps look like this:

To me, that writing isn't really in black but perhaps it is what you meant? It certainly is not red.

[South]

Easy, your body has natural anti virus, anti whatever built in ...... taking any kind of drugs (that you know absolutely nothing about) is just a huge gamble. You either live 'naturally' or die .... simple as. Or, take a big gamble on whatever coloured pills you have been given. Your choice.

[zlodnick]

Thank you Sheryl,

The capsules I have are like the pictures you've shown except the lettering is definately bold black.

I believe you are right and the Avodart is genuine, but I also believe it's a legitimate concern that they are not printed in red lettering as described in the GSK website.

Im seeing my urologist tomorrow and I'll discuss it with him.

[chubby]

foo

Edited July 8, 2016 by chubby

[Buzzz]

I purchased this at Fascino last month.

[Sheryl]

Thank you Sheryl,

The capsules I have are like the pictures you've shown except the lettering is definately bold black.

I believe you are right and the Avodart is genuine, but I also believe it's a legitimate concern that they are not printed in red lettering as described in the GSK website.

Im seeing my urologist tomorrow and I'll discuss it with him.

Your urologist will not know anything about this. If you feel you must pursue it, should talk with the drug company.

There is usually more than one manufacturing site and there can be small differences in appearance depending on where the drug was manufactured. In Thailand imported meds are usually from Europe and almost never from the US.

[kkerry]

Some quick Googling and the image in post #15 was the only one I could find with black lettering. What would concern me a bit is it is in a different font to the red version. With fake electronic items, using the wrong font is a very, very common mistake.

I've corresponded with GKS in Singapore before, and their customer service desk were really quick to get back to me but in Thailand the same can't always be said for offices of major international companies. You would hope GKS Thailand would respond promptly to a question about the authenticity of their own product. One explanation could be it is meant only for domestic sale in Thailand, and to make it easier to detect if it is being sold in overseas markets undermining another GSK version with a higher RRP.