Prevacid® Over the Counter (OTC)
Prevacid® OTC, sometimes called Prevacid® 24HR, is the non-prescription form of the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Prevacid®. The generic name for the drug is Lansoprazole. It most commonly comes in 15 mg delayed release tablet that is taken once daily. The drug is marketed as an occasional heartburn relief medication and is sold in drugstores and supermarket pharmacies all around the United States and in several other countries.
The symptoms commonly referred to as heartburn (burning and pain in the chest or stomach) are often caused by excess stomach acid, which flows back up into the esophagus. Prevacid® shuts off the acid pumps in the stomach. This decreases the overall amount of acid in the stomach and eliminates heartburn symptoms caused by minor acid reflux.
The drug is designed for short-term use only and should only be taken for 14 days at a time. If needed, the drug can be taken for another 14-day course after 4 months of nonuse. Serious complication may arise if Prevacid® (or any PPI) is used for extended periods of time or in doses larger than normally prescribed. These include bone fracture and severe adverse drug interactions.
Generic Prevacid®: Lansoprazole
While the generic name for the drug contained within Prevacid® OTC (or Prevacid® 24HR) is Lansoprazole, there are no other drugs on the market with the same active ingredient. Novartis Consumer Health Inc. manufactures the non-prescription strength form of the drug and holds the trademark on the brand name Prevacid®. While you can find generic PPI drugs over the counter, they do not contain Lansoprazole as the active ingredient and should not be considered equivalent to Prevacid®.
Prescription vs. OTC Prevacid®
While both drugs contain Lansoprazole as the active ingredient, the two drugs are actually quite different:
- They have different manufacturers )Non-prescription strength Prevacid® is made by Novartis Consumer Health Inc. while prescription strength Prevacid® is manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals.)
- They also come in different dosages and forms. (Prevacid® OTC is only available in 15 mg delayed release tablets. Prescription strength Prevacid® is available in either 15 mg 30 mg tablets, as an oral solution, or as an injection — Prevacid® IV).
- They are designed to treat different conditions (Prevacid® OTC is designed for use only as a heartburn relief drug whereas prescription strength Lansoprazole is designed to treat other conditions including GERD and ulcers.)
One cannot be substituted for the other unless a doctor familiar with a patient's condition recommends it.
Contact a Prevacid® Lawyer
If you have taken Prevacid® either in any of its prescription strength forms or in the Prevacid® 24HR over the counter form and experienced any side effects, you may be able to seek compensation for your suffering. Contact one of our expert Prevacid® lawyers today for a free consultation. It's completely confidential and costs you nothing. But you have to act fast. Your right to compensation may be subject to time limitations.
