Patent litigation has held up the release of FDA approved generics for Intuniv, but a settlement earlier this year has made one form, made by Actavis, available at pharmacies as of December 1, 2014. While this is good news, a few facts should be considered:
1) The price of the medication is not likely to be comparable to generic immediate release guanfacine for some time. Immediate release guanfacine is available for $4 for a 30 day supply at many pharmacies, but the patent settlement only allows Actavis to make generic Intuniv, and Actavis must share profits with Shire, the makers of Intuniv . This likely will result in an expensive generic, at least for the first 6 months.
2) Generic guanfacine ER may not be exactly the same as Intuniv. By law, generic guanfacine ER must contain the same active ingredient and must demonstrate bioequivalence (equal biological activity) within certain parameters. However, it may contain different inactive ingredients such as carriers (some of which contain gluten) and colorings. Notably, generic guanfacine ER is an orange colored tablet (FDC Yellow #6), which may be a problem for some patients. If you have questions about generic guanfacine ER's inactive ingredients, you may contact Actavis at 1- (800) 272-5525.
If you plan to switch to generic guanfacine from Intuniv, you should monitor for side effects just as you would if you were using a different medication. If you notice a significant difference, you may still be able to obtain brand named Intuniv by asking your doctor to request "brand only". However, if you do this, your insurance will probably put up a fuss and ask your doctor to provide documentation to justify the expense.
If you are starting guanfacine as a new medication, the generic is as good a starting medication as Intuniv, unless your child has a definite sensitivity to yellow food dye.
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