My PWP [Parkies With Pizzazz] age/gauge # is- 69/64/59 (now/at dx/1st s/s). I'm a retired Respiratory Therapist, last job was in Rehabilitation Clinic for Chronic Lung patients; (ironic?)

Started on Sinemet 10/100 TID, later 25/100 TID. After 45 months the Doc. added Eldepryl BID, (which worked very effectively when my wife & I, a week after the addition, took a 4 week trip driving from Texas to Wash. & Oregon and back; I practically forgot I had hemi-parkinsons, the symptoms being so reduced, which effect continued strong for 19 months. I used generic Sinemet 25/100 for 10 months during 1998, with Eldepryl, effectively, till the "off" time came sooner and the Doc. put me on Sinemet CR 50/200. Now on CR and Eldepryl (both brand name) I feel like I'm on a winning team. Last month I tried generic selegeline for 4 weeks, with my doctor's approval, noticed a wearing off sooner of the effect, & changed back to Eldepryl and am more satisfied with the brand name med. It felt like the generic had less of the active ingredient than did the brand name, that it perhaps had only 4 mg. instead of the reported 5.

Does anyone know if the federal drug laws allow the drug manufacturers to vary the amount of active ingredients in their generics, say 25% plus or minus within an acceptable range of variance? Has any lab tested the contents of generics to see if there is exactly 5 milligrams of selegeline in the tablet being substituted for Eldepryl, (plus the weight of the filler?) Or is this information treated as a trade secret, not available to the general public? I'm leary of generic medications.