Aurobindo Vs. Sandoz (valsartan/hctz)
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I have been taking the Sandoz version of valsartan/hctz (80/12.5) for YEARS with no problems. Recently, my pharmacy switched to the Aurobindo version. I feel like it's doing nothing (or little).

I thought that the bioequivalency for generics was mandated by law. Did I get counterfeit drugs at Rite-Aid?

Nevertheless, the pharmacy was skeptical but accommodating. They faxed over the request to my incredible GP whose office responded within the hour. I can now pick up my Sandoz version again.

Anybody else have a similar experience?

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My husband and I have been on Diovan for years, then several years ago insurance quit paying so we were switched to valsartan, I believe Sandoz. Last year they switched us to Aurbindo valsartan, we noticed that our blood pressure was not as regulated. Last year my husband started coughing up mucous and had a horrible sinus infection. He has been on inhalers, several rounds of oral antibiotics and steroids, as well as injections.Nothing will clear it up. Then several months ago I started with the same symptoms, antibiotics didn't work for me either. I finally realized the only thing we are taking in common was the valsartan and I started researching - they listed our symptoms exactly. We have stopped taking the valsartan but are both still coughing up mucous. We have children in our home and none of them are sick so this doesn't appear to be contagious. I talked to my doctor but he didn't seem to think it was the valsartan, even though it has been recalled. I hope we get better eventually, but this has been going on for months for me, and over a year for my husband and it hasn't improved at all.

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Re: John (# 29)

I have had problems with Aurobindo also. I feel my drug store (Company) found the cheapest product and said the hell with the quality.

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Hello, My wife has also had problems with several types of Diovan generics. Sandoz did fine. Sandoz is still available in Canada and it is very cheap. Actually, you can get Diovan in Canada. We live in Minneapolis. I just filled a prescription for 180 tablets of 160/25 Diovan/HCTZ for $60 USD. Pharmacies will mail it to you if you can get their doctor to fax them one. Or I went myself to Windsor, ON, the first time to verify the pharmacy. Here is an informative video (What you need to know to get your medications from Canada legally). We use Hunter's Pharmacy as mentioned in the video but Shopper's Pharmacy also would do this. Maybe others. My wife is on Medicare. I am saving the feds a couple grand per year doing this. And a few thousand of mine as well.

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The solution is to start a mass litigation against Aurobindo for bad quality drugs. FDA does not care. The mass litigation is not intended for money making but to save Americans. Aurobindo has so much bad repute for bad drugs; such that it cannot survive a mass action suit in the US. How many people have died from those drugs? Let us be patriotic and save Americans from this ordeal. {edited for privacy}.

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Re: Verwon (# 1)


GIVE US A BREAK. You are bound to be a plant working for the collaborators in the fraud. Aurobindo makes seven of my medications. One by one, I researched the polluted, non-compliant versions of my meds. Going to India was an intentional fraud because they don't have the regulations and compelled compliance we have. People are being poisoned. One of mine was found to contain "unacceptable" organisms. What is that? Are some organisms acceptable? Other findings BY THE FDA include symptoms, up to and including, anaphylactic shock from binding agents, little to no active ingredient included, toxins, meds not made to specification, etc. People ARE getting sick and are not getting relief! Stop your posts misleading people. People are not stupid. The people will prevail.

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Has anyone sued Aurobindo for all these ineffective valsartans? There is need for mass action suit to address these problems or else it will not stop.

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Although I was told by Walmart Pharmacy in Canada i can get sandoz 80mg valsartan (180 pills / 90 day supply) for $69, I tried several other brands. The brand Solco 80 mg seems to be working for me. It took several weeks to adjust. I take two a day and the method that works for me is that i break one in half and take 40mg in the morning, 80 mg in the afternoon and 40mg in the evening at about 8.00 pm. I have very little if any tiredness. I found the best price was to buy it from a mom and pop store for cash and not use insurance. PBM companies are manipulating prices no matter if you get them from large Pharmacies or discount stores here in the US. The privately owned small stores offer the best price. Shop around and don't be cheated on your meds. My other med is $14 cash vs $20 with insurance.

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Has anyone tried Canadadrugs? A doctor mentioned it to me and their website shows Sandoz manufactured valsartan HCTZ available and ready to dispense. In exploring the site, it appears you need to pay with a check or AMEX card instead of through insurance, but the Sandoz brand is worth it to me.

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Re: Robin (# 17)

Dont always trust your doctors they are pressured to treat you and write scripts. i know of a doctor who was very experience for many years, told his patient all they needed was to take some vitamins because of an deficiency instead of writting a script for some meds, the doctor was fired for telling the patient that was all they needed.

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Re: Rec (# 22)

I was told to find a real pharm store in Canada and call them.

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Re: Lee (# 21)

Great. Where can we fill a prescription for the Sandoz Canada brand of Valsartan HCT in the USA? Via mail-order? Internet through Canadian pharmacy? Which one? With insurance or Medicare or cash?

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Re: Comments (# 12)

Sandoz valsartan is still manufactured. The US plant stopped producing it to make other meds, but Sandoz Canada continues to produce the Valsartan that is like Diovan. I spoke to them. This is another scam going on in the US so all the middlemen can get rich selling you very inexpensive drugs from India and China.

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Re: John (# 16)

Because big pharmacy companies are making tons of money forcing you to take the cheap drugs, there are good quality meds in the US and Canada, but good quality cost more. Some companies are telling customers these good meds are no longer available but they are. These benefit-managers make more money selling you poor quality. They do not care about your health.

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Re: Verwon (# 1)

Bioequivalence is a fancy word (meaning it's expected to be the same), however in the real world it's the extra non-active ingredients that cause people to have side effects, and most generics are only required to be 80% effective. The big Pharm companies want you to buy these meds from China and India that have had problems with quality vs companies that make meds in Canada and USA; they ignore the NAFTA agreement when it comes to buying meds from Canada or US.

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Most of the generics manufactured in India are not effective. Where can one find a generic ARB that is not manufactured in India and also is not by TEVA?
Please help.

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Same thing for me: after Lisinopril made me cough incessantly, upon complaining, they put me on Valsartan (AUROBINDO PH). Over 15 days, this pink stuff has done nothing! Nada, zilch if not increase BP & heart rate. I suspected it to be fake (so trendy LOL), but doc's office refuses to believe. We consumers must have a way to get these fake stuff analyzed independently at their cost, dont you think?

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I had used Diovan 160 mg and my blood pressure was well controlled. When my wife was prescribed the generic - valsartan 320 mg, she collected the medication from CVS Pharmacy at 290 N. Denton Tap Road in Coppell Texas. Her blood pressure which was 130/80 before she took the medication jumped to 180/130 in a matter of 4 hours and was still rising until my wife took my own Diovan 160 mg before the blood pressure came down to 110/80. The offending valsartan is Aurobindo brand. I reported this case to the pleasant lady pharmacist and I said to her "your pharmacy gave us a placebo, this Aurobindo valsartan is not working." She said, "We do not give placebos". Why is the FDA joking with the lives of Americans? After the experience of forged drug data by Ranbaxy of India, why should the FDA trust another Indian drug company and thereby surrender the lives of Americans to these fake companies? The Valsartan by Aurobindo is fake.

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Same here, I had been on diovan for 7 years, my insurance would no longer pay for it. I was given several brands made in china and india and they would always make me sick. Those other brands had to much inert ingredients, that's why a 80 or 160 mg sandoz/diovan is much smaller than the generic brands from other mfgs. I was able to get sandoz brand which is identical to diovan with no problems. Then in late 2016 was informed sandoz brand will not be made in us but is being made in canada. However no one will import it to the us, that's what I was told. So I am stuck again trying to figure out what to take without killing myself. What happened to the nafta free trade act between us, canada and mexico? I discovered huge profits for importers of china and india made drugs although there has been quality problems with these meds. It seems people are being forced to take poor quality drugs vs good quality so everyone else in the med business can get rich at the cost of american's health. This is a total disgrace. Why so many middle men, and how did pharmacy companies get power to override the authority of your doctors? I was told I had to take express scripts brand of meds or do without by express scripts customer service. This is all bull and something needs to be done about it.

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Have been taking Diovan 80 mg. for over 10 years; fantastic! MD wrote RX for valsartan (Sandoz mfg. only) to save me $$. This refill, by ExpressScripts, the pharmacist calls and give ME the choice of 4 manufacturers. My MD knows nothing about the companies, etc. Costco can get Valsartan but there's a limited supply. Will discuss with MD. Healthcare is going down the tubes....guess we are all becoming disposable entities.

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I did some research, found that the Sandoz Plant was closed by Diovan, the Parent Company. I have some 160 that I split, then some 40 that I will double up on. After that don't know what I will do.

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