Metanx Substitutes May Not Be Equivalent
Last Updated on June 26, 2017
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At A Glance
- This Alert Affects
- Patients who have been dispensed Folast, Neurpath-B or Duleek-Met as a Metanx generic or substitute.
- Damages
- Because a true Metanx generic has yet to be introduced, patients who were given a substitute for Metanx may be able to recover the cost of these medical products.
- Company(ies)
- Metanx is manufactured by Pamlab LLC, which has warned patients to be cautious if they are told that a Metanx generic is available.
- Additional Details
- Metanx is a prescription medical food given to patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy for the dietary management of endothelial dysfunction.
Allegedly, pharmacies, such as Walgreens and CVS, have been substituting the prescription Metanx with Folast, Neurpath-B and Duleek-Met, which may not be suitable equivalents for the prescription product. Metanx is a medical food prescribed to patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy for the dietary management of endothelial dysfunction, and according to the manufacturer, does not have a true generic on the U.S market.
A Substitute May Not Be Equivalent
Metanx is advertised as having a unique formulation which provides active forms of folate and certain B vitamins to manage the specific nutritional needs of diabetic neuropathy patients who suffer from numbness, burning and tingling in the feet. Reportedly, Folast, Neurpath-B and Duleek-Met, which have been dispensed as Metanx substitutes, do not contain this specific formula. Therefore, they are not therapeutically equivalent to Metanx and should not be given as suitable substitutes.
Manufacturer Cautions Patients on Generics
Pamlab LLC sent a letter to doctors, pharmacists and patients regarding the substitution of Metanx with an alternative product called Neurpath-B. According to the letter, test samples of Neurpath-B contained a Chinese source of folate rather than the active form which is used in Metanx. Still, major U.S. wholesalers and pharmaceutical listing services have identified Neurpath-B as a Metanx generic and, as a result, many pharmacies began stocking up on Neurpath-B and dispensing it as a substitute.
According to Pamlab, Acella has presented no information to indicate that Neurpath-B is equivalent to Metanx. In contrast, it has placed a disclaimer on the Neurpath-B label stating that the product is not therapeutically equivalent to any other drug and is not included in the Orange Book, which lists FDA approved generics. If you were given Neurpath-B as a Metanx substitute, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and losses.
Medical Food Generics
In addition to Metanx, Deplin, Neevo, Neevo DHA, Cerefolin and CerefolinNAC have also been allegedly substituted with nonequivalent medical food generics by pharmacists. These prescription products, used to treat a variety of conditions including impaired metabolic processes, contain a unique formulation which provides active forms of folate and certain B vitamins. Reportedly, certain medical food generics do not contain this same formula and should not be dispensed as suitable substitutes for these prescription products. Learn more about medical food generics.
Participating in a Medical Food Generic Class Action
Patients who were dispensed generics as medical food substitutes may be able to participate in a class action lawsuit to recover the cost of the medical products. Class action lawsuits allow a large number of patients the chance to collectively bring a legal claim for compensation.
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