Generic Yasmin

At this time, generic versions of Yasmin are available. They are sold under the names Ocella, Syeda, and Zarah. All three have been given an "AB" rating by the FDA, which means they should be equivalent to brand-name Yasmin. However, generic medications are allowed to have different inactive ingredients, which may present a problem for people with certain sensitivities.

Yasmin Birth Control Pills

Generic Yasmin: An Overview

Yasmin^® (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) is a prescription contraceptive product. It is one of the many oral contraceptives (birth control pills) available.

Yasmin is made by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. However, generic Yasmin is also available. Because a less-expensive, generic version of Yasmin is available, you may find that your insurance company will not cover brand-name Yasmin.

Generic Yasmin Names

Currently, generic Yasmin is sold under the names Ocella™, Syeda™, and Zarah™. Because the generic names of birth control pills can be very confusing (the names are long, and multiple different products can have the same generic name but different strengths), manufacturers of generic birth control pills give their versions a "brand name" to avoid confusion. Ocella, Syeda, and Zarah are still generics, even though they seem like brand-name products, due to their names.

Are Ocella and Zarah as Good as Yasmin?

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. Ocella, Syeda, and Zarah all have an "AB" rating, meaning they should be equivalent to Yasmin.

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.