Quick answers
- What is Rivastigmine used for?
- The FDA-approved label (Exelon, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, May 8, 2024) says: “EXELON PATCH is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor indicated for treatment of: • Mild, moderate, and severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (AD). • Mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). 1.1 Alzheimer’s Disease EXELON PATCH is indicated for the treatment of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (AD). …” This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.
- Does Rivastigmine have a boxed warning?
- No. None of the 28 FDA labels we found for this medicine has a boxed warning.
- Is there a shortage of Rivastigmine?
- The FDA drug shortage list shows “To be discontinued” for a product of this medicine (updated September 18, 2026). Ask your pharmacist about alternatives.
- Has Rivastigmine been recalled?
- FDA enforcement reports list 2 recalls of products of this medicine; the newest started March 6, 2017 (Class III). A recall usually concerns specific lots, not every product.
- Who makes Rivastigmine?
- 20 companies list prescription products of Rivastigmine in the FDA NDC Directory, including Bryant Ranch Prepack, Sandoz Inc and Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited.
What Rivastigmine is used for
Quoted from the “Indications and Usage” section of the FDA-approved label.
EXELON PATCH is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor indicated for treatment of: • Mild, moderate, and severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (AD). • Mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). 1.1 Alzheimer’s Disease EXELON PATCH is indicated for the treatment of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (AD). …
— FDA label: Exelon, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, effective May 8, 2024. Read the full label on DailyMed →
The FDA has 28 labels for products of this medicine (different makers and forms); uses can differ between them. Check the label that comes with your own medicine.
This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.
Boxed warning
A boxed warning (“black box”) is the FDA’s strongest warning on a drug label, for serious or life-threatening risks.
The label quoted above has no boxed warning.
0 of 28 FDA labels for this medicine have a boxed warning.
Forms and how it is given
| Dosage forms | Capsule · Patch, extended release · Patch |
|---|---|
| Route | Oral · Transdermal |
| Prescription products | 72 in the FDA NDC Directory |
| Brand names | Rivastigmine Transdermal System, Exelon |
What pharmacies pay (NADAC)
The National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) is the average price U.S. retail pharmacies paid to buy one unit of a medicine (one tablet, one mL or one gram), from a monthly survey of pharmacy invoices by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). State Medicaid programs use it to pay pharmacies.
This is not the price you pay. What you pay depends on your insurance (copay or coinsurance), your pharmacy and any discounts, and pharmacies also charge for filling a prescription. Ask your pharmacist or your health plan what your price will be.
| Strength and form | Generic or brand | Pharmacies pay |
|---|---|---|
| rivastigmine 13.3 mg/24 h patch | Generic | $1.78 per patch |
| rivastigmine 13.3 mg/24 h patch, extended release | Generic | $1.78 per patch |
| rivastigmine 4.6 mg/24 h patch | Generic | $1.75 per patch |
| rivastigmine 4.6 mg/24 h patch, extended release | Generic | $1.75 per patch |
| rivastigmine 4.6 mg/24 h patch, extended release | Brand: Exelon | $21.91 per patch |
| rivastigmine 9.5 mg/24 h patch | Generic | $1.75 per patch |
| rivastigmine 9.5 mg/24 h patch, extended release | Generic | $1.75 per patch |
| rivastigmine 9.5 mg/24 h patch, extended release | Brand: Exelon | $21.85 per patch |
| rivastigmine tartrate 1.5 mg capsule | Generic | $0.1681 per capsule |
| rivastigmine tartrate 3 mg capsule | Generic | $0.1626 per capsule |
| rivastigmine tartrate 4.5 mg capsule | Generic | $0.1706 per capsule |
| rivastigmine tartrate 6 mg capsule | Generic | $0.1584 per capsule |
NADAC list of November 4, 2026; these prices took effect on October 21, 2026. Shown only where a package’s NDC code matches the NADAC list exactly, and only for that exact strength and form: nothing is averaged across strengths. Strengths and forms not listed here have no NADAC price.
Source: NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) 2026, data.medicaid.gov (CMS) →
Companies that list this medicine
Labelers in the FDA NDC Directory: the company named on the package (maker or distributor), with the number of prescription products.
- Bryant Ranch Prepack8 products
- Sandoz Inc6 products
- Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited4 products
- Modavar Pharmaceuticals LLC4 products
- Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.4 products
- Aurobindo Pharma Limited4 products
- Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited4 products
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited4 products
- Chartwell RX, LLC4 products
- Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited4 products
- Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.4 products
- Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.3 products
- Zydus Lifesciences Limited3 products
- Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC3 products
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation3 products
- Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc.3 products
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.3 products
- NorthStar Rx LLC2 products
- Major Pharmaceuticals1 product
- American Health Packaging1 product
FDA approval history
- NDA: New Drug Application: how a new (usually brand-name) medicine is approved.
- ANDA: Abbreviated New Drug Application: how a generic version is approved.
| Application | Sponsor | Approved | Later changes approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDA022083 EXELON | Sandoz | July 6, 2007 | 9, latest May 8, 2024 2024: Labeling · 2018: Labeling · 2016: Labeling |
Generic approvals (11)
- ANDA077131Sun Pharm · October 22, 2007
- ANDA077130DR Reddys Labs Inc · October 31, 2007
- ANDA091689Alembic Pharms Ltd · June 12, 2012
- ANDA203148Macleods Pharms Ltd · August 22, 2014
- ANDA204572Aurobindo Pharma · March 25, 2016
- ANDA203844Cadila Pharms Ltd · February 13, 2017
- ANDA207797Chartwell Rx · September 28, 2017
- ANDA205622Mylan Technologies · June 20, 2018
- ANDA207308Amneal Pharms · January 8, 2019
- ANDA206318Zydus Pharms · March 4, 2019
- ANDA209063Breckenridge · November 26, 2019
Shortage status
To be discontinued · updated September 18, 2026 · first posted September 18, 2026
| Product | Rivastigmine, Film, Extended Release, 4.6 mg/24 h (NDC 0378-9070-93) |
|---|---|
| Company | Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Viatris Company |
Ask your pharmacist whether your product is affected and what the options are.
Recalls
From FDA enforcement reports, matched by the product’s NDC code. A recall usually covers specific lots only: check the lot number on your package and ask your pharmacist. Do not stop a medicine on your own.
-
March 6, 2017 · Class III · Terminated · D-0649-2017
Cross-contamination with other products -Related Substances test for Rivastigmine Tartrate Capsules USP, 1.5 mg showed a peak for Ranitidine.
RIVASTIGMINE Tartrate Capsules, USP, 1.5 mg, 60-count bottle, Rx Only, Mfd. By: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited, Bachupally 500-900 India, NDC 55111-352-60 — Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc.
-
August 3, 2015 · Class II · Terminated · D-1325-2015
Failed Dissolution Specifications
Rivastigmine Tartrate Capsules, USP 1.5 mg, 60 count bottle, Rx Only, Mfd. By Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited, Bachupally, India, NDC 55111-352-60 — Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc.
What do the recall classes mean?
Class I: The most serious type: there is a reasonable chance that using the product will cause serious health problems or death.
Class II: Using the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, or the chance of serious problems is remote.
Class III: Using the product is not likely to cause health problems (for example a labeling or packaging issue).
Official identifiers
Sources
- FDA-approved label on DailyMed (National Library of Medicine) — Exelon, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, effective May 8, 2024; via openFDA, FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- NDC Directory (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drugs@FDA (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drug recall enforcement reports (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 27, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drug shortages (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
openFDA data is provided by the FDA as is; it may be incomplete. Always rely on the label that comes with your medicine. FDA Enforcement Report search →