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Can you purchase Modafinil over the counter? For those who have been prescribed this very popular new smart drug by a medical doctor, purchasing it is as simple as walking into the nearest pharmacy.
What once may have been an obscure pharmaceutical only reserved for a small number of has now become quite common in mainstream medicine. Its benefits for clear thinking and mental energy are well-established.
However, most people who are interested in trying it do not have a prescription and will not be able to buy Modafinil over the counter.
Instead, they turn to the internet grey market – international vendors from India or Mexico which don’t have strict controls over legalities and quality. This unfortunately creates a huge risk for fraud, with potentially severe financial and medical repercussions.
However, by getting the facts individuals can safely acquire powerful cognitive-enhancing nootropics like these safely and affordably. Here’s a complete fact guide for how – and why – to purchase the prescription-only medication Modafinil.
Alertness
Mental Acuity
Focus- Stimulates wakefulness in the brain
- Promotes mental acuity & processing
- Enhances focus, motivation & energy
History and Original Uses of Modafinil
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 developed in 1976 by Michel Jouvet for the French pharmaceutical company Lafon Laboratories. The company was subsequently bought by Cephalon, and still produces the most common name brand version of Modafinil, Provigil.
As Modafinil has been seen to cause increased locomotor activity and alertness in animal trials, the first human trials for Modafinil were for the sleep disorder narcolepsy. Narcolespy is a sleep and wakefulness disorder in which patients experience excessive daytime sleepiness, and can even fall instantly and randomly asleep throughout the day.
Since the first trials were conducted, many double-blind placebo-controlled trials have been done using Modafinil for narcolepsy. It has been found time and again that Modafinil significantly reduces daytime sleepiness compared to placebo.
Since its initial use for narcolepsy, Modafinil has been used for improving wakefulness in other sleep disorders, specifically shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. In studies conducted on both conditions, as is seen when used for narcolepsy, Modafinil is able to significantly reduce daytime sleepiness compared to placebo.
In the United States, the FDA has approved Modafinil as a Schedule IV prescription drug for the treatment of narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorder, and as an adjunct treatment for the excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
Other Uses for Modafinil
Since its discovery in the 1970s and its approval for sleep disorder uses, many additional uses have been found, and the medication has been transformed in public perception into the ultimate “brain pill.” Featured on countless news reports, Modafinil is known to be a wonder drug for heightened cognitive abilities.
Everyone from college students to top level executives have famously been using Modafinil to make the demands of school and business more manageable. With no apparent addictive qualities like other ADHD drugs such as Adderall, Modafinil had the potential to become a staple cognitive enhancer for years to come.
One research study examined the cognitive enhancing properties of Modafinil in healthy volunteers. The randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled between-subjects study compared the results patients got on various tests when given a placebo and when give Modafinil. It was found that performance on tests of digit span, visual pattern recognition memory, spatial planning, and stop-signal reaction time was significantly enhanced when patients took Modafinil, compared to when they took placebo.
Additionally, in three tests (delayed matching to sample, a decision-making task and the spatial planning task), latency to respond with a correct answer was seen to be slightly longer than with placebo. The researchers concluded that this result shows reduced impulsive responding, which may make Modafinil beneficial for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In fact there have been many double-blind placebo-controlled research studies that have examined Modafinil for this exact use. In studies against a placebo alone, Modafinil has been seen to significantly improve scores on various tests, including the DSM IV ADHD Checklist and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale, when compared to placebo.
In other studies where Modafinil was compared to placebo as well as traditional ADHD medication (one study used dextroamphetamine), both the active medications have been seen to improve scores on ADHD tests compared to placebo, and the researchers conclude that Modafinil should be considered a viable alternative to traditional ADHD drugs. There are some doctors who will prescribe Modafinil off-label for their patients with ADHD (especially patients who have had negative experiences with conventional drugs), but this is up to the discretion of individual doctors.
The mechanism of action for Modafinil is not entirely agreed-upon. It is clear that the drug helps the release of CNS histamines in the brain, which in turn stimulates the activity of important neurotransmitters. This is at least partly the mechanism that creates Modafinil’s various mental effects.
Although there is a lack of understanding over how this drug works or what the Modafinil long term effects might be, there has been no noticeable slow down demand.
In fact, many online pharmacies of questionable repute have sprung up specifically to sell Modafinil-related products.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Over the Counter Modafinil Sales
Unfortunately, even with all of Modafinil’s clear benefits for cognitive enhancement, an individual cannot walk into the nearest pharmacy and purchase Modafinil over the counter.
Modafinil is a Schedule IV narcotic (controlled substance by the FDA). Individuals must have a prescription to buy it legally in the U.S.
The most common way to get a prescription for Modafinil is to be diagnosed with a severe sleeping disorder. It is sometimes prescribed for any other conditions, including ADHD.
According to various online reviews of doctors there have been cases where medical practitioners have made an exception and prescribe the pill for off-label use if they think it is warranted and safe.
However, in cases of the medication being prescribed for off-label use, medical insurance aren’t likely cover the high costs of this medication. A one month prescription of Provigil can cost as much as $1500. Due to the high monetary costs, most individuals with valid prescriptions often opt out of purchasing this drug.
Legality of Online Pharmacies
The reason some online pharmacy websites are able to sell Modafinil over the counter to people without prescriptions is due to there being no need for a prescription in the countries where these retailers are based.
The only problem is, once the Modafinil is shipped to the U.S., it falls under the jurisdiction of U.S. law, and will be confiscated by U.S. Customs upon discovery. The same is true if ordering to Canada, the UK, Europe or Australia.
This can be very frustrating for people who have heard positive reviews about using this drug to improve cognition. Still, many look for a way to get Modafinil over the counter in the U.S. without a prescription.
A viable solution available to consumers is purchasing alternative over the counter nootropic supplements similar to Modafinil.
Overseas Vendors – Product Quality Risks
Due to a lack of FDA regulations applying to foreign pharmacies, often times the quality control from these retailers tend to be very poor and in some cases non-existent .
As far as overseas vendors go, who sells Modafinil over the counter? There is a long list of past and present vendors that may advertise some form of generic Provigil pills for sale. But consuming medications from an international vendor with no verified Certificate of Authenticity is very risky.
Modafinil shipped from overseas could contain impurities, or perhaps not be Modafinil at all.
Consumers must be aware that purchasing Modafinil from non-certified international vendor carries both a monetary and health risk.
Modafinil Alternatives You Can Purchase over the Counter
Even though Modafinil is not legal for sale over the counter, it doesn’t mean individuals cannot experience the cognitive boosting effects of this popular drug.
Adrafinil is a legal, prescription-free nootropic agent, that is the direct pre-cursor to Modafinil. This compound, which is readily available at safe U.S. nootropic vendor sites, provides similar effects of prescription Modafinil and Provigil. Over the counter Adrafinil pills or powder cost as little as $0.25 to $0.50 per dose.
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Article last updated on: April 1st, 2018 by Nootriment
1 Comment
You better have a prescription. This way there is a less chance to lose your package. I order from “Sunmodalert” the cheapest and trustworthy vendor ever.