Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
The short answer
Provigil is a brand name for modafinil, originally marketed by Cephalon: it was approved in the UK in October 1997 and in the United States in 1998. Modafinil is the active molecule that Provigil contains. If you have read about Provigil in articles or older studies, you have been reading about modafinil under a trade name.
Provigil and generic modafinil
| Provigil (brand) | Generic modafinil | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Modafinil | Modafinil |
| Original brand maker | Cephalon (later part of Teva) | Various manufacturers |
| Current UK status | Historic brand; current availability unverified | UK-authorised modafinil products are sold under their own names |
| Price positioning | Brand pricing in its market | Typically far cheaper |
The active molecule is the same. Generic medicines approved by a regulator must show a comparable rate and extent of absorption to the reference product within accepted regulatory limits; that is the basis on which they are authorised.
What current US labelling covers
Current US labelling covers excessive sleepiness associated with:
- narcolepsy;
- obstructive sleep apnoea (as an adjunct to standard treatment);
- shift work sleep disorder.
The UK licensed indication is excessive sleepiness in adults with narcolepsy, with or without cataplexy; OSA and shift-work sleep disorder are not UK licensed indications. Anything beyond narcolepsy (cognitive enhancement in healthy people, ADHD, depression augmentation) is off-label territory with a weaker evidence base.
How Provigil works (briefly)
Modafinil is a eugeroic (wakefulness promoter) rather than a classic amphetamine-type stimulant. Its mechanism is not fully mapped; dopamine reuptake inhibition is established, and orexin/histamine system activation has substantial preclinical support. The fuller explanation is in our how modafinil works guide.
Why UK buyers encounter other names
Provigil was approved in the UK in 1997. When the patents protecting Provigil expired in the early 2010s, generic modafinil spread at a fraction of the brand price. The Indian-manufactured brands sold internationally include Sun Pharma’s Modalert and HAB Pharma’s Modvigil.
Common questions
Is Provigil stronger than modafinil? No. Provigil contains modafinil – the same molecule at the same 100mg/200mg strengths.
Is Provigil still available? Branded Provigil retains official labelling in the US. The name survives in older articles and in searches.
What is the UK equivalent of Provigil? The same active molecule, modafinil, is what UK prescribing uses, sold under UK-authorised product names. Separately from those, internationally known generics carrying the same molecule include Sun Pharma’s Modalert 200mg and HAB Pharma’s Modvigil 200mg.
What was Provigil used for? Excessive sleepiness in narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnoea and shift work sleep disorder under US labelling. The UK licensed indication is excessive sleepiness in adults with narcolepsy, with or without cataplexy.
Related reading on this site
- What is modafinil?
- Modafinil vs armodafinil: what is the difference?
- Is modafinil legal in the UK?
- Modafinil dosage guide
This article is general information and does not replace advice from a qualified clinician. Modafinil is a prescription-only medicine in the UK; whether it is appropriate for you is a question for a prescriber.