The FDA has announced that generic versions of Aricept (donepezil) have now been approved for patients who have Alzheimer's disease. Aricept was one of the first FDA-approved "acetylcholinesterase inhibitor" for patients who have Alzheimer's disease. Since then, we've seen quite a few other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors enter the market. Four cholinesterase inhibitors: tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine are currently approved by the FDA but tacrine is rarely used due to toxicities.
Now that we have an option to use a generic drug for patients with Alzheimer's disease, I wonder if we will see more patients receiving treatment for their dementia. Drug cost has always been a barrier for older adults (even if they have Medicare), but generics are often a fraction of the cost compared to branded drugs, so this should be interesting as we move forward.
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