Are you on the long list of people who are wondering how to get Modafinil prescribed? Ever since this hot new brain boosting pharmaceutical hit the market, public interest and demand have gone through the roof.
Modafinil’s documented ability to dramatically improve clarity of thought and concentration made it an instant star. Yet not all people who use this drug in the USA have an actual prescription for Modafinil for the approved uses as set out by the FDA.
The FDA has refused to approve Modafinil for use as a concentration aid despite the hundreds of studies that demonstrate it can be safely used for this purpose.



- Stimulates wakefulness in the brain
- Promotes mental acuity & processing
- Enhances focus, motivation & energy
Modafinil History
Related Topics
- What is Modafinil? (Provigil)
- How Does Provigil Work?
- Effects and Benefits
- User Reviews
- Typical Experiences
- Recommended Dosages
- How to Take
- Provigil Uses
- Use for ADHD
- Effects on Weight Loss
- Negative Side Effects
- Abuse Warnings & Dangers
- Comparison to Adrafinil
- Comparison to Armodafinil
- Comparison to Adderall
- Where to Buy
- Generic Modafinil Brands
- Is Modafinil Legal?
- How to Get Modafinil
- Review of Online Sources
Modafinil was first discovered after research on the mechanism of action of its prodrug, Adrafinil. Adrafinil is one of a series of benzhydryl sulfinyl compounds that was discovered by a French pharmaceutical company in 1974.
Adrafinil was seen to be a eugeroic, or wakefulness-promoting agent. During testing on it, it was found that the active component of Adrafinil is Modafinil. The two compounds are nearly identical in molecular structure, with Adrafinil having an extra hydroxyl group on its terminal amide that Modafinil lacks.
In the body, Adrafinil is metabolized in the liver into the active Modafinil, and the inactive modafinilic acid. Because it is not a perfect conversion of Adrafinil into the active Modafinil, Adrafinil is considered less potent. After it was possible to synthesize Modafinil directly, Adrafinil was used much less frequently.
Adrafinil was first approved for use in humans as a drug for narcolepsy in 1986. Testing on Modafinil alone in animals found that it had the same effects on locomotor activity and increased alertness as seen with Adrafinil, therefore the first human trials with Modafinil were on narcolepsy as well.
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that affects the patient’s ability to maintain awake states. People with this condition often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, often coupled with inability to stay awake, resulting in multiple times of falling randomly asleep throughout the day. Some narcoleptics are also prone to cataplexy, a condition where the muscles suddenly lose tone, typically resulting in a slump of the body or a fall, often brought on my strong emotions and laughing.
There have been many double-blind placebo-controlled studies done using Modafinil for narcolepsy. It has been definitively found that compared to a placebo, Modafinil significantly reduces excessive daytime sleepiness and increases wakefulness in people with narcolepsy, regardless of cataplexy status.
Modafinil has been used as a prescription medication for narcolepsy in France since 1994, and since 1998 in the United States. It has proven such a successful treatment that other novel narcolepsy treatments have been tested against it to prove their efficacy.
One study compared Modafinil and the drug sodium oxybate to both each other, as well as to a placebo. It was found that both active medications alone as well as in combination significantly improved scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, and the Clinical Global Impression of Change, compared to the placebo.
It was found that there was an additive effect when Modafinil and sodium oxybate were used together, leading the researchers to conclude that sodium oxybate could be used as a treatment for excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy either on its own, or as an adjunct treatment together with Modafinil, possibly in severe cases where Modafinil alone has not been entirely successful.
Since its approval for use improving excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, Modafinil has been further approved for reducing this effect in other sleep disorders, namely shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
Shift-work sleep disorder is a disorder that affects normal circadian rhythms (sleep/wake cycles) in the body. People who work very late night or overnight shifts for their jobs can sometimes develop this sleep disorder.
These people are either consistently or intermittently having to be awake and working during normal sleep hours (nighttime), and then trying to sleep during normal awake hours (daytime). This sleep disorder causes excessive sleepiness when awake, and can also cause insomnia when trying to sleep.
In research studies it has been seen that Modafinil significantly improves excessive sleepiness and improves wakefulness in people with shift-work sleep disorder, when taken before a shift. One study found that people given Modafinil one hour before they started a work shift had a lower frequency and shorter duration of attention span lapses as measured by the Psychomotor Vigilance test than people given a placebo.
Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a medical condition that affects nighttime breathing patterns. In people with this condition, the muscles that support the tongue and soft palate of the mouth involuntarily relax during sleep, causing a either a partial blocking of the airway and shallow breathing (known as hypopnea), or a complete blockage of the airway and the stopping of breathing (known as apnea).
People with this condition often have poor nighttime sleep quality, and subsequent excessive daytime sleepiness. The most common method of treatment of OSAHS is using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine while sleeping. This helps to keep the airways open during sleep. Some people still experience sleepiness during the day, and Modafinil has been successfully used as an adjunct treatment to reduce this symptom of the condition.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Modafinil as a prescription drug to treat narcolepsy and shift-work sleep disorder, and as an adjunct treatment for obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Modafinil is similarly classified as a prescription medication in many countries around the world.
Off-Label Modafinil Prescriptions
The only on-label uses of Modafinil are the previously discussed sleep disorders. Therefore any other uses of this drug are considered “off-label.” There are some off-label uses of Modafinil that are directly related back to its intended purpose of improving wakefulness.
Fatigue is a symptom that is related to many different diseases. Disease related fatigue has been observed in people with depression, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and fibromyalgia. While it is limited, there has been some research done in this field, and it has been seen that Modafinil significantly improves fatigue over placebo in people with disease-related fatigue.
One of the most common off-label uses of Modafinil relates to its stimulant-like effects and how that improves symptoms of attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Multiple double-blind placebo-controlled studies in children, adolescents, and adults have shown that Modafinil significantly improves scores on multiple ADHD tests and checklists compared to placebo.
Some studies have even compared Modafinil to conventional amphetamine ADHD drugs. One study compared Modafinil and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) both to each other and to a placebo. It was found that compared to the placebo, both active medications significantly improved scores on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV ADHD Behavior Checklist for Adults, the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Stroop test, and Digit Span test. The researchers concluded that Modafinil should be considered as a viable alternative to conventional ADHD medications.
It is estimated that as much as 90% of Modafinil prescriptions in the USA are written for off-label purposes by a doctor for disease related fatigue or for conditions such as ADHD or ADD. While it is entirely legal to write off-label prescriptions, not all doctors will be willing to write these off-label scripts and you may find it difficult to get a legitimate prescription.
This often results in individuals purchasing Modafinil from international vendors of dubious quality. The health and financial risks of potentially consuming illegitimate Modafinil pills are significant.
Let’s take a look at legal routes to improving mental power with supplements like these. Here are the facts about how to get a prescription for Modafinil – why doctors prescribe it, and how to shop safely for mind enhancers on the internet.
Why Modafinil Is in Demand
With every passing year, the pace of modern life speeds up. With screens, posts, tweets, pics, and updates of every kind clamoring for our attention around the clock, it’s easy to get distracted.
Over time, we might even begin to feel that maintaining concentration and focused thoughts is difficult, even when there aren’t any distractions. This tendency may have a chemical basis as well as a cultural one.
Modafinil, originally designed in the 1970s as a tool against the sleep disorder narcolepsy, has been found to enhance attention span and cognitive performance.
By enhancing ability to think and concentrate deeply without distraction, while maintaining the mental energy needs to hone in on a single task for hours, Modafinil is seen as a remedy for frantic minds.
College students have famously adopted its use for these benefits, especially at extremely competitive and prestigious universities like Cambridge and Ivy League schools. Businesspeople, designers, and writers have also begun to widely use the drug for improved motivation and drive.
Two scientific reviews were done on the collected research done on using Modafinil for cognitive enhancing purposes. Trends that emerged across the studies showed that Modafinil was seen to improve memory, specifically working and episodic memory. There was also evidence that suggests Modafinil can enhance executive function, specifically relating to complex tasks.
One randomized double-blind placebo-controlled between subjects research study was done on healthy volunteers to determine the effects of Modafinil on memory and attention. Volunteers were given a dosage of either placebo or Modafinil before completing a series of tests.
It was found that Modafinil significantly enhanced performance on tests of visual pattern recognition memory, digit span, spatial planning, and stop-signal reaction time. The volunteers reported that they felt more alert, attentive, and energetic while taking Modafinil.
Along with the improvements to performance on some tests, it was seen that response time was increased on the delayed matching to sample test, a decision-making task, and a spatial planning task. The researchers concluded that this effect reduced impulsive responding, further giving evidence that this may be a beneficial treatment to people with ADHD.
Wondering how to get Modafinil prescribed? Well, so are many of the aforementioned users! Most people who are curious about trying Modafinil do not have a prescription and purchase the drug in hazy and questionable areas of legality.

- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Why Doctors Prescribe Modafinil
Modafinil prescriptions have remained largely unchanged for the past two decades. So, want to know how to get Modafinil prescribed? The medication is still only intended for use as a remedy for extreme sleep disorders.
While there are some physicians who are aware of and approve of using Modafinil as a cognitive enhancing nootropic, the FDA has still not approved the drug for this use. So you must have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder to get the prescription under FDA policy.
Even sufferers of ADHD are not eligible for a Modafinil prescription based on the approved uses. If you are able to find a doctor who will prescribe it for off-label use, which is certainly possible, you will still have to foot the bill on your own.
No insurance company will pay for off-label uses of medications, and with prices up to $1500 for a single month’s supply of brand-name Provigil pills, use of the drug as a nootropic is cost prohibitive. These are the main reasons that people shop for Modafinil online at international pharmacy websites.
How to Get Modafinil Online
Unfortunately, shopping for medicines like Modafinil from overseas pharmacies is fraught with risks. While it is technically legal to buy pills from these vendors (hence the term “grey market”), possession of the pills becomes illegal again once your package reaches the U.S.
Agents at U.S. Customs are perpetually on the lookout for shipments from vendors like these, and will swiftly confiscate any controlled substances that are shipped without prescriptions. It is possible that your personal information will be added to DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) watch lists.
Furthermore, the internet is rife with stories of fake or impure pills that were sold by these sites and passed off as the real thing. With zero quality control, you are risking your health by consuming these mystery pills.
So, how do you sample the benefits of smart drugs if you don’t know how to get Modafinil prescribed? The answer is to turn to legal alternative nootropic supplements. With a little research, you can buy legal, safe, effective Modafinil alternatives in the U.S.
Modafinil Alternatives That Don’t Require a Prescription
Really want to know how to get Modafinil prescribed? The answer may be to let your body do some of the work. Adrafinil is a nootropic that acts as the direct pre-cursor to Modafinil in the body.
Adrafinil does not require a prescription to buy – it can be found for sale over the counter at reputable U.S.-based nootropic vendors. The liver converts Adrafinil into Modafinil and delivers it to the blood, prompting the same effects associated with Modafinil and Provigil.
The process takes only about an hour, after which users will feel the sharp mental clarity, intense concentration and freedom from distraction that comes with using Modafinil.
Another nootropic alternative to Modafinil is any of the Racetam class of compounds. Originating with the parent compound Piracetam, this group of compounds has been seen to improve cholinergic neurotransmission in the brain, as well as improve glucose and oxygen uptake in brain cells.
Since the development of Piracetam in the 1960s, more potent and powerful derivatives have been developed, including Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, and Phenylpiracetam.
While Modafinil is an attractive nootropic drug, it is safest to only buy and use it if you have a prescription and use reputable sources. People who are looking for alternative cognitive enhancers need look no further than Modafinil’s prodrug Adrafinil, or the original class of nootropics, the Racetams.
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- Scoriels L, Barnett JH, Murray GK, Cherukuru S, Fielding M, Cheng F, Lennox BR, Sahakian BJ, Jones PB. Effects of modafinil on emotional processing in first episode psychosis. Biol Psychiatry. 2011
- Generali JA, Cada DJ. Modafinil: Parkinson disease-related somnolence. Hosp Pharm. 2014
- Mereu M, Bonci A, Newman AH, Tanda G. The neurobiology of modafinil as an enhancer of cognitive performance and a potential treatment for substance use disorders. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2013
- Beck J, Hemmeter U, Brand S, Muheim F, Hatzinger M, Holsboer-Trachsler E. Modafinil reduces microsleep during partial sleep deprivation in depressed patients. J Psychiatr Res. 2010
- Nuijten M, Blanken P, van den Brink W, Hendriks V. Modafinil in the treatment of crack-cocaine dependence in the Netherlands: Results of an open-label randomised controlled feasibility trial. J Psychopharmacol. 2015
- Ornell F, Valvassori SS, Steckert AV, Deroza PF, Resende WR, Varela RB, Quevedo J. Modafinil effects on behavior and oxidative damage parameters in brain of wistar rats. Behav Neurol. 2014
- Heinzerling KG, Swanson AN, Kim S, Cederblom L, Moe A, Ling W, Shoptaw S. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of modafinil for the treatment of methamphetamine dependence. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010
Article last updated on: April 11th, 2018 by Nootriment
7 Comments
Please…… I’ve tried every nootropic under the sun (including adrafanil), and to compare it to modafanil is laughable.
How do u get it? Im pretty sure I have narcolepsy but I’m going to have to go to a neurologist and participate in a sleep test first in order to get a prescription for it. Meanwhile, I’ll be roaming through the day half asleep and trying my best not to fall asleep while I drive.
modafinilcat!
You must have gotten impure adrafinil, or taken too little of an amount. I Albeit I’ve never tried modifinil, everyone I know says the only difference was energy. I’d go as far to say 90% of people aren’t buying this for “energy”. Rather the overall nootropic effects, which for m anyways, is extremely noticeable from adrafinil.
Adrafinil will cause liver failure. It shouldn’t be used more than 3 times a week for more than 5 months. A effective dose is 600 mg with a max daily dose of 1200 mg. It worked great for me but I quit after I discovered the risks tot he liver.
Adrafinil won’t cause liver failure. yes its a pro drug that need to use enzymes from your liver to break it down but unless you take a lot of pro drugs your fine
Dude are you crazy? 600 to 1200mg daily dosage?!?! your insane dude!!!! max dosage is 400mg and you should start at 50mg and if it’s not enoth you can go for 100 and do not go more then 200mg it’s pointless it’s the same effect and you are taking a risk so why take that risk!