Modafinil: Prescription, Insurance, Legality

Modafinil is a well-known and popular smart drug used to improve cognitive function, enhance motivation and bust fatigue. Doctors and researchers agree that there is plenty of evidence for the positive effects of Modafinil including peer-reviewed scientific studies that prove that Modafinil boots motivation, vigilance and reaction time. The University of Cambridge even found Modafinil to be effective at reducing “impulse response” (a.k.a. bad decisions!), and the US Military and several other military organizations have approved it for use as a ‘go’ pill.

The FDA has adopted Modafinil for the treatment of certain medical conditions, but despite hundreds of studies which conclusively demonstrated that it is a safe concentration aid, the FDA has not approved it for this purpose. Because of its prohibitive cost, brand-name Modafinil, such as Provigil, is not widely used. Each single 200 mg pill may cost as much as $50 without insurance, which is why generic brands such as Modalert, which can be purchased at a massive discount, have become so popular.

Modafinil Off-Label Uses

The medication is accepted as a remedy for sleep disorders, and you must have been diagnosed with one of a few sleep disorders to obtain the Modafinil prescription under FDA policy. A medical practitioner will usually prescribe Modafinil medication if he believes that you suffer from Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) especially if it is due to sleep apnoea, shift-work-disorder or narcolepsy.

However, you may have heard of off-label prescriptions. What this means is that medical insurance companies will only pay for medicines that have been prescribed according to FDA-approved guidelines. For example, if a drug is registered as a treatment for narcolepsy, your medical insurance companies will only pay for that medicine if you have an explicit diagnosis of narcolepsy.

The interesting fact is that almost every FDA-approved drug has proper so-called off-label uses, and may be prescribed by a doctor if he believes that treatment will be advantageous. In the case of Modafinil, this could be ADD/ADHD, cocaine dependence, depersonalization disorder, neurological fatigue due to multiple sclerosis or a whole range of psychiatric disorders. These include seasonal affective disorder (SAD), bipolar depression, treatment-resistant depression, schizophrenia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, and opioid-induced sleepiness and dependence.

Approximately 90% of all Modafinil prescriptions in the US are written for ‘off-label’ treatment of common health conditions and are perfectly legal, and Modafinil online suppliers fill most of these prescriptions at a substantial discount on the original brand-name prescription price.

Is Modafinil Legal in USA?

Modafinil is currently regulated in the US as a controlled substance. On the US scale which is used to label controlled substances, 1 means it is the most regulated and 5 is the least regulated. Modafinil has been classified as category 4 in the US, indicating that it may not be purchased over the counter without a prescription. According to the US classification system, this means that Modafinil:

• has a relatively low abuse potential;
• has an accepted medical use;
• abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence.

Modafinil is certainly not regarded as being in the same category as cocaine or even amphetamine drugs used to treat ADD/ADHD, like Ritalin or Adderall. Eugeroics (wakefulness compounds) and nootropics (smart drugs) such as Modafinil are not used as ‘party drugs’, and are highly unlikely to be abused, although professional athletes may not use it as it enhances exercise performance levels. It has been proven to provide an advantage in competitive sport and is considered to be doping by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

However, you cannot walk into a drug store and buy it over the counter (OTC), nor is it viable to get an online prescription for Modafinil. Because of its Schedule 4 status, it is labeled as a prescription medication, and you need a doctor’s prescription to purchase it from a drug store in the US. If you have a prescription, you may buy Modafinil entirely legally from anywhere you please, be it from a local drug retailer or an online pharmacy. Due to the low potential for abuse, unlike e.g. Ritalin, a doctor may prescribe Modafinil for a six-month term before you need a new prescription for refills.

What Will Happen If I Buy Modafinil Online?

It is technically legal to order from an overseas pharmacy but possession of the medication becomes illegal without a prescription. If you place an order for Modafinil from an online pharmacy, remember that packages mailed from international destinations may be inspected by customs officials, whose primary focus is to prevent the trafficking of dangerous substances such as amphetamines, cocaine, and psychedelics or explosives and firearms.

If they should find a medicine which you need a prescription for (even if it is not a dangerous drug), they may seize your order. They will mail a letter to you informing you of the fact that they have the shipment, and there is a possibility that your name may be placed on the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) watchlist. You may contact them to provide them with the proof of your prescription or choose not to respond. Such packages are routinely destroyed after 30 days.

In USA terms, as your prescription for Modafinil is 100% legal, you have the right to choose where to buy your supply and, most importantly, how much you pay for it. Your only concern should be to buy from a reputable online pharmacy to ensure that you do not receive a fake product. Some companies may try to pass off tablets that contain fillers or even dangerous additives with a high concentration of stimulants as fake Modafinil.

How to Get Modafinil OTC?

Because of its Schedule 4 status, you need a doctor’s prescription to purchase it. Because of the extremely high cost of Modafinil in the US, many people choose to purchase it from a reputable online supplier. With your prescription, you can order and buy Modafinil entirely legally from whoever you please, and a good online distributor will offer you massive savings. As Modafinil only has a Schedule 4 status, it is not considered a high-risk drug, and you only need to get a new prescription every 6 months.

Modafinil Prescriptions

Individuals may not buy it without a Rx, and you should consider discussing your needs with a medical professional. Most doctors go to great lengths to keep up with research, are well aware of the advantages of Modafinil and may be able to prescribe the medication for off-label purposes. The FDA has approved Modafinil for treatment of the following conditions:

1. Narcolepsy: People who suffer from narcolepsy fall asleep sporadically during the day, which can be life-threatening when driving. There is no known cure but the condition is highly treatable with a wakefulness compound.
2. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: A person with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDM) is extremely sleepy and lethargic even after a full night’s sleep. Sleep apnoea is a significant cause of this, but lifestyle habits may contribute to the problem. Underlying conditions such as depression may contribute to poor sleeping patterns, and if so, a prescription for Modafinil may be doubly effective to treat this condition as Modafinil is used off-label to treat depression and may be combined with an antidepressant or as a standalone medication.
3. Shift Work Disorder: People who work odd hours such as graveyard shifts of nighttime work may find it extremely hard to adapt to ‘normal’ hours. Night shifts wreak havoc on our natural circadian rhythm and will certainly cause sleep issues.

Modafinil with or without Insurance

Due to the high cost of brand-name Modafinil in the US, medical insurance companies will often impose very strict rules before they consider paying for the drug. Even ADD/ADHD sufferers with insurance may not claim Modafinil prescription costs, as it is not specifically FDA-approved for that purpose. It is certainly possible to find a doctor who can prescribe it for off-label use because he is aware of the advantages of Modafinil, but the insurance company will not pay for off-label medication uses. As the FDA approval is for specific medical conditions, the health insurance company will probably require that the doctor includes prescribing information and explicitly state his diagnosis of one of the following conditions on the prescription:

• excessive daytime sleepiness due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA);
• shift-work-disorder;
• narcolepsy.

You should not assume that they will cover the expenses, as they may require you to undergo a prior approval (PA) process, or may insist that you only purchase a generic product. Even after you have received approval, they may only cover a portion of your costs and your co-payment for a 3-month supply may run into thousands of dollars unless you purchase your supply from a reliable supplier of generic Modafinil.

Buying your modafinil without insurance online is likely to be vastly cheaper. You can also try our free Modafinil samples availbale withour prescription.