Essential Medicines News

From the “Yes, Virginia, generics do cost less” department:

A U.K. government report says that prescribing generics more often for the cholesterol drugs pravastatin and simvastatin, rather than the brand name products, could save the National Health Service £85 million (about $167 million) a year.

The prescribing of statins has soared and now costs the NHS more than £600 million a year. However, prices differ significantly, with the older drugs simvastatin and pravastatin significantly cheaper than newer ones, such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) or rosuvastatin (Crestor).

The prices of the older drugs have tumbled as they are no longer patent-protected and are available in generic form: 28 days supply of simvastatin 40mg costs £3.89, while Lipitor 10mg (the equivalent dose) costs £18.03.

Yesterday the Department of Health published figures showing that if all Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) prescribed either simvastatin or pravastatin to 69 per cent of their patients — the level achieved by the most economical quarter of PCTs — the NHS would save £84.7 million a year.

But Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: “The problem is that the two generic versions available to the NHS are not as potent as some of the newer, more expensive statins coming on to the market.

“So it would not be right to have a target like this when it could put lives at risk.

“It is much better to say to doctors they should look to use generic versions but monitor a patients’ reaction to see that their cholesterol is coming down.”