News
Big Savings Available As Major Drugs Go Generic
Generic drugs could save U.S. consumers $24.7 billion this year alone, a report finds. The report examined the clinical potential for greater generic drug use in six major drug-therapy classes used to treat common conditions like stomach ulcers, inflammation, depression, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
The report, issued by pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, was based on a random sample of approximately three million individuals projectable to the U.S. commercially insured population.
The $24.7 billion savings potential reflects the introduction this year of new generic drugs in two of the most widely-used classes -- the anti-cholesterol drug simvastatin (generic Zocor) and the anti-depressant drug sertraline (generic Zoloft). In 2005, Zocor and Zoloft had sales of $3.1 and $2.6 billion, respectively.
Thus, the biggest savings available this year are in the anti-cholesterol class at $10.3 billion. Generics, including lovastatin, pravastatin and ultimately simvastatin, are potent enough to fill 85 percent of all prescriptions for an anti-cholesterol drug, based on existing prescribing patterns.