Generic Triphasil

There are a couple generic Triphasil products that are also available by prescription. These generic birth control pills, which are sold under the names Enpresse and Trivora, are equivalent to the brand-name version. However, it is important to know that generic Triphasil may contain different inactive ingredients than Triphasil (which could cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities).

 

Is Generic Triphasil Available?

Triphasil® (levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol) is a birth control pill (oral contraceptive). It is available only with a prescription. It belongs to a group of birth control pills known as triphasic combined oral contraceptives ("combined" because it contains two different hormones and "triphasic" because it contains three different phases of hormone doses in each pack).
 
Triphasil is made by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Generic Triphasil is sold under names that look like brand names (rather than the usual "generic" name). Because these generic versions of Triphasil are available, you may find that your insurance company will not cover brand-name Triphasil.
 

Generic Triphasil Naming

At this time, generic Triphasil is sold under the names Enpresse® (made by Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and Trivora® (made by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.). The generic names of birth control pills can be very confusing, since the names are long and multiple products can have the same generic name (even though they are different). To help avoid confusion, manufacturers of generic birth control pills give their versions a "brand name." These products are still generics, even though they seem like brand-name products, due to their names.
 

Are Enpresse and Trivora as Good as Triphasil?

All generic medications must undergo certain tests to compare them to brand-name medications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then looks at these tests to decide if the generics are equivalent to the brand-name medications and assigns each generic a rating. An "AB" rating means that the FDA has determined that a generic medication is equivalent to a brand-name medication. Enpresse and Trivora both have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Triphasil.
 
However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients than the brand-name medication. This might include fillers or dyes or other ingredients that may cause problems for people with allergies or sensitivities. The packaging of generic birth control pills may also be different from the packaging of the name-brand products.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;