FDA OKs generic Flomax capsules

WASHINGTON, March 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has approved the first generic version of Flomax (tamsulosin) capsules to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The FDA said the condition occurs in older men when an enlarged prostate gland causes urination problems. The most common symptoms include a weak stream during urination, urgency, leaking or dribbling, as well as more frequent urination, especially at night.

The National Institutes of Health said BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their 60s and as many as 90 percent of men older than 70 have such symptoms.

"The approval of generic tamsulosin offers greater access to a widely used treatment for BPH," said Gary Buehler, director of the FDA's Office of Generic Drugs. "FDA is committed to making generic drugs available to patients and these drugs meet the same rigid standards as the brand name drugs."

Generic tamsulosin capsules are manufactured by IMPAX Laboratories Inc. of Haywood, Calif.