From 1 June 2019, generic medications may become available for the current MS disease modifying therapies prescribed in Australia – in particular for teriflunomide (currently sold as Aubagio).
Generic medications are approved medications that have the same active ingredient/s (the chemical that makes the medicine work) as the original medication but are packaged or presented differently and sold under a different name.
For MS medications, if the generic medicine is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the cost to someone living with MS, and prescribed the drug, is likely to be the same as the original brand name version.
It is up to the person taking the medication to decide as to whether they buy the original or the generic version.
If you are unsure if this affects you, please check with one of our MS Nurses or your Neurologist.
For more information about generic MS medications click here.