TRINTELLIX is the brand name medication that was originally developed and marketed by Lundbeck. Generic versions, developed by other companies, are pharmaceutically equivalent to the original brand medication, meaning they contain the identical medicinal (active) ingredients, in the same amounts and in a similar dosage form. Generics must be “bioequivalent” to the brand name drug, acting in the same way in the body, with the same efficacy and safety. According to Health Canada, generic medications may have different non-medicinal ingredients than the brand name version that can affect their colour, size or shape, as long as these don’t affect the safety, efficacy or quality compared to the brand name drug.

 

 

 

Yes. TRINTELLIX will continue to be manufactured even after a generic becomes available, so you can continue taking the brand medication you know and have been taking. Most pharmacies will have TRINTELLIX in stock, and if not, they can order it in.

Insurance coverage is different for everyone – it depends on your specific plan and whether you have private insurance through your employer or coverage through a provincial drug insurance plan.

Certain insurance plans continue to pay for the original brand-name medication. In these situations, plan members must cover any co-payment and/or deductible based on their plan's terms. Some other insurance plans allow access to the original brand medication but will only reimburse up to the cost of the generic alternative. Consequently, you would need to pay the difference between the brand-name medication and the generic version in addition to any co-payment and/or deductible. However, these plans might still cover the original brand medication if certain reimbursement criteria are satisfied (for instance, if you have an allergy to an ingredient in the generic version).

Talk to your healthcare professional to find out if you’re eligible for coverage.

Yes. If you prefer to use TRINTELLIX instead of a generic, you have the right to ask for it.

You can also download the Patient Choice Card*, which allows you to pay the same amount for brand-name TRINTELLIX as for the generic medication.

* The TRINTELLIX Patient Choice Card Program is available in all provinces except Quebec. Depending on the benefit type and patient’s existing coverage, the card will pay all or some of the drug acquisition cost and applicable markup.

The answer is often yes, but not always. This depends on the province you live in. In some provinces, pharmacists aren’t required to tell their patients if they have been switched from a branded medication to a generic, from one generic to another or from a generic back to a branded medication. So make sure you ask for what you prefer and check the medication you receive.

Make sure to state upfront that you would like to continue with brand name TRINTELLIX rather than being switched to a generic. Ask the pharmacist to add a note to your file that states your preferences and always check your medication when you receive it.