Generic Parcopa: An Overview
Parcopa® (
orally disintegrating carbidopa-levodopa) is a prescription medication that has been licensed as a
Parkinson's disease treatment. It is also approved to treat Parkinson-like symptoms due to other causes as well. Parcopa tablets are designed to dissolve rapidly on the tongue, with no need for water. They can be especially useful for people who have difficulty swallowing tablets.
Brand-name Parcopa is made by Schwarz Pharma. However, it has come off patent and is available as a generic.
Strengths of Generic Parcopa
Generic Parcopa is available in the following strengths:
- Carbidopa and levodopa orally disintegrating tablets (ODT) 10/100 mg -- 10 mg of carbidopa and 100 mg of levodopa
- Carbidopa and levodopa ODT 25/100 mg -- 25 mg of carbidopa and 100 mg of levodopa
- Carbidopa and levodopa ODT 25/250 mg -- 25 mg of carbidopa and 250 mg of levodopa.
Who Makes Generic Parcopa?
Currently, generic Parcopa is made by one company, Mylan Pharmaceuticals.
Is the Generic Version as Good as Parcopa?
All generic medications must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns each generic a rating. An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. Generic Parcopa has an "AB" rating, meaning it should be equivalent to Parcopa.
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers or dyes or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with
allergies or sensitivities.
