Mylan is a manufacturer, not a medicine. Tablets labelled “Mylan” could be any of dozens of different products — a painkiller, a blood pressure tablet, a diabetes medicine, an antidepressant. The name on its own does not tell you what you have. This page explains how to find out.
What is Mylan?
Mylan is a large international generic medicines company, now part of Viatris. Generic manufacturers make versions of medicines whose original patents have expired, which is why the same active ingredient reaches pharmacies under many company names at very different prices.
Because Mylan is a company, its products in the South African Medicine Price Registry span unrelated categories. A sample of what is registered here:
| Product | Schedule | Active ingredient | What it treats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mylan diclofenac | S3 | Diclofenac sodium 50 mg | Pain and inflammation |
| Mylan metformin 500 | S3 | Metformin 500 mg | Type 2 diabetes |
| Mylan indapamide | S3 | Indapamide 2.5 mg | High blood pressure |
| Mylan captopril | S3 | Captopril 25 mg | High blood pressure, heart failure |
| Mylan atropine | S2 | Atropine sulphate | Injection, hospital use |
Those five medicines have nothing in common except the company that made them. Diclofenac and metformin are not interchangeable in any sense.
So the useful question is never “what is Mylan used for?” — it is “which Mylan product do I have?” And that is answered by the pack, in a few seconds.
Look for the second word. Registered generic names follow the pattern manufacturer + active ingredient: “Mylan diclofenac”, “Mylan metformin”. The word after “Mylan” is the medicine.
If you only have loose tablets with no packaging, a pharmacist can often identify them from the markings, shape and colour — but do not take an unidentified tablet, and do not assume it is the same as something you have taken before.
What is Mylan commonly used for?
Since this page sits among the pain and inflammation guides, the Mylan product most likely to have brought you here is Mylan diclofenac 50 mg — a Schedule 3 anti-inflammatory tablet.
Diclofenac is an NSAID. It blocks the enzymes that produce prostaglandins, the chemicals behind pain, swelling and fever. It is used for:
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Back pain, muscular and joint pain.
- Sprains, strains and soft tissue injury.
- Period pain.
- Gout flares.
- Post-operative and dental pain.
- Headache and migraine, in some prescribing.
Diclofenac is effective, and it carries the standard NSAID cautions — stomach, kidneys, asthma and, with regular use, cardiovascular risk. Those are covered below, and they matter.
But confirm what you have before applying any of it. If your pack says Mylan metformin, none of this page’s guidance applies to you — that is a diabetes medicine, and taking it as though it were a painkiller would be dangerous.
How Mylan fits into this medicine category
If your product is Mylan diclofenac, this is the landscape:
| Group | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NSAIDs | Diclofenac (Mylan diclofenac), ibuprofen, naproxen | Pain with inflammation; stomach, kidney and heart cautions |
| Simple analgesics | Paracetamol (Donapan) | Gentler; no anti-inflammatory effect |
| COX-2 selective | Etoricoxib, celecoxib | Anti-inflammatory, easier on the stomach |
| Corticosteroids | Prednisone | Powerful anti-inflammatory, in courses |
| Topical NSAIDs | Diclofenac gel | Localised joint pain; far lower body-wide exposure |
| Opioids | Codeine, tramadol | Moderate to severe pain; dependence risk |
For a single painful joint, a topical NSAID gel is often a sensible alternative to tablets. See the pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal medicines hub.
What to check before using Mylan
First, identify the medicine. Read the word after “Mylan” on the pack, or ask a pharmacist. Nothing below applies until you know what you are holding.
If it is a diclofenac or other NSAID, speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you:
- Have or have had a stomach ulcer, gastritis or bleeding in the digestive tract.
- Have asthma. A proportion of people with asthma react badly to NSAIDs.
- Have heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure or a history of stroke. Regular diclofenac carries a higher cardiovascular risk than some other NSAIDs.
- Have kidney or liver disease.
- Take blood thinners, aspirin, another anti-inflammatory, steroids, SSRIs, diuretics, ACE inhibitors or lithium.
- Are pregnant, particularly in the third trimester, or breastfeeding.
- Are over 65, where stomach and kidney risks rise.
Practical points: take it with or after food; use the lowest dose for the shortest time; do not combine two anti-inflammatories; and check other products, including cold and flu remedies, for a second NSAID.
A general rule worth keeping beyond this page: keep medicines in their original packaging. Loose tablets in a tin or a bag are the single most common reason people cannot find out what they are taking — and the reason a doctor treating them in an emergency cannot either.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
For diclofenac, common effects are indigestion, heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain, headache and dizziness.
Get emergency help for:
- Vomiting blood, or material like coffee grounds.
- Black, tarry stools.
- Severe stomach pain.
- Chest pain, breathlessness, or signs of a stroke — sudden weakness, facial droop, slurred speech, or a severe unusual headache.
- Sudden worsening of asthma or wheezing.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a widespread blistering rash.
Contact a doctor if you develop swollen ankles, reduced urine output, unexplained tiredness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or if you need an anti-inflammatory regularly for ongoing pain — persistent pain needs a diagnosis rather than indefinite symptom control.
Ask a pharmacist — and this is the main advice of this page — if:
- You are not certain what your Mylan product is.
- You have loose tablets with no packaging.
- You have been switched between brands and want to check you are not taking the same active ingredient twice under two names. That duplication is a genuine and common risk when generics change between visits.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Pain, Inflammation & Musculoskeletal Medicines guides
- Read: Prednisone used for
- Read: Donapan used for
Frequently asked questions
What are Mylan tablets used for? It depends entirely on which one you have. Mylan is a generic manufacturer, and its South African range includes diclofenac for pain, metformin for diabetes, and indapamide and captopril for blood pressure.
How do I know which Mylan medicine I have? Read the word after “Mylan” on the pack — that is the active ingredient. If there is no packaging, ask a pharmacist to identify the tablets.
Is Mylan a painkiller? Only Mylan diclofenac is. Other Mylan products treat entirely different conditions.
Is a Mylan generic as good as the branded version? Registered generics contain the same active ingredient at the same strength and must meet the same standards. Appearance and inactive ingredients may differ.
Why did my pharmacy give me a different brand? Generic substitution is routine and legal in South Africa. Check that the active ingredient is the same, and ask if you are unsure.
Can I take two brands with the same ingredient? No. That is a double dose. This is why checking the active ingredient rather than the brand matters.
I found loose tablets marked Mylan — can I take them? No. Take them to a pharmacist for identification. Never take an unidentified tablet.