Generic Zocor - Simvastatin

Typically, a generic drug is much less expensive than its brand-name counterpart, and opting for it can make economic sense for both you and your health plan. Switching from Zocor to generic simvastatin should not change its effect on your cholesterol level or introduce new side effects—the FDA requires generics and brand-name drugs to be of equal quality and effectiveness. However, switching from Zocor might not save you much money right away.

It’s not unusual for one or two generic makers to contract with the brand-name drug maker for a limited period of exclusive manufacturing rights. With only a few generic makers producing simvastatin right now, prices are still high. A 90-day supply of 20 mg of generic simvastatin (a typical starting dose) costs $353.95 at Drugstore.com compared with $399.97 for brandname Zocor.

Furthermore, in anticipation of less expensive generic copies, Merck, the company that produces Zocor, offered insurance companies such a low price on Zocor that several health plans won’t switch their coverage from Zocor to generic simvastatin until prices drop further.

If and when generic simvastatin is added to your health plan’s formulary (the list of drugs that your health plan covers), you should save money on your prescription copay.

All statins lower LDL cholesterol levels. The three most potent statins can reduce LDL cholesterol by 30% or more. Crestor (rosuvastatin) is the most potent statin, followed in order by Lipitor (atorvastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), and Lescol (fluvastatin). Your doctor decides which statin is right for you based on how much you need to lower your cholesterol level and whether or not you need to raise your HDL cholesterol or lower your triglycerides.

Generic pravastatin and lovastatin are already available by prescription and may offer substantial savings. At Drugstore.com, a 90-day supply of a starting dose of 40-mg pravastatin is $252.00 compared with $389.97 for brand-name Pravachol; a 90-day supply of 40-mg lovastatin is $99.95 compared with $354.95 for Mevacor.

The Bottom Line on Generic Zocor: Although all statins are similar, subtle differences may make one of the available formulations better for you than another, depending on how much you need to lower your cholesterol, whether you also need to raise your HDL or lower your triglycerides, and what other medications you may be taking. Once these considerations have been addressed, nonmedical issues, such as cost and the time of day the medication should be taken, may be factored into the equation.

Two popular statins go generic, paving way for savings, says the Harvard Heart Letter

BOSTON, MA – This summer, generic versions of two statins, Pravachol and Zocor, will be sold at prices lower than what the brand names now command, reports the May issue of the Harvard Heart Letter.

If you have been taking Pravachol or Zocor, switching to a generic version of the same drug makes sense, says the Harvard Heart Letter. Generic drugs are the same as the brand-name version in all but looks, inactive ingredients, and price. By law a generic drug must:

• contain the same active ingredients as the brand-name drug
• be identical in strength, dosage, and administration
• work the same way in the body
• meet the same standards for quality
• be made by the same rules the FDA has set for the brand-name drug.

The difference? Generic drugs cost less.

What if you are taking a statin that doesn’t yet have a generic equivalent, such as Crestor, Lescol, or Lipitor? Although the statins are chemically different, they all lower total and LDL cholesterol. Insurers will almost certainly try to move people to generics, states the Harvard Heart Letter. However, some statins are more powerful than others. If you need to ratchet your cholesterol way down, talk with your doctor to see if going generic makes sense.

So far, Americans haven’t been that good about switching from costly brand-name drugs to less expensive but equally effective generics. With effective generic statins on the market, maybe it’s time to make the switch.

Also in this issue:

• Diets that lower blood pressure
• Heart disease when arteries are clear
• Safety questions on bypass drug
• Heart failure: longer survival, more cases
• Carbon monoxide poisoning and heart health
• Coffee and blood flow
• Procedures for atrial fibrillation
• A doctor answers: Can fried fish be good for my heart? And, MRIs and stents

The first generic version of the cholesterol-lowering statin drug Zocor has been approved by the FDA.

The new generic, simvastatin, is recommended for use along with a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol to treat high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) and to reduce blood levels of certain fatty substances, such as triglycerides.

In 2005, statins accounted for more than $16 billion in U.S. sales, and Zocor was the second most widely prescribed statin, according to the research firm IMS Health.

“This approval is another example of our agency’s efforts to increase access to safe and effective generic alternatives as soon as the law permits,” says Gary J. Buehler, who directs the Office of Generic Drugs, in an FDA news release.

“Simvastatin is a widely used cholesterol-lowering agent, and its generic version can bring significant savings to the millions of Americans with this disease,” Buehler adds.

Generic simvastatin tablets are made in doses of 5 milligrams, 10 milligrams, 20 milligrams, and 40 milligrams by IVAX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Generic 80-milligram simvastatin tablets are made by Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc.