Prescriptions for the cholesterol-lowering medicines known as statins rose by an average of 500,000 a month between October 2005 and December 2006, according to a new analysis by Consumers Union and Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs.
The increase was enhanced by the availability of simvastatin -- the generic version of Zocor -- one of two new generic statins that came onto the market in the latter half of 2006. The shift suggests aggressive moves by doctors, insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacists and consumers to use the new generics.
"This is further evidence that the market will eagerly welcome a significant new generic drug, such as simvastatin," says Steven Findlay, managing editor of Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs. "It also shows that new generics can play an important role in extending treatment to more people."
The 500,000 increase represented a 3.9 percent rise -- from an average 12.6 million per month in the period October 2005 to May 2006, to an average 13.1 million per month in the period June 2006 to December 2006.
The two new generics -- pravastatin and simvastatin -- are the generic versions of Pravachol and Zocor, respectively, both of which lost patent protection in 2006 (Pravachol in April and Zocor in June).
By December 2006, simvastatin had garnered 2.5 million prescriptions -- 200,000 to 300,000 more than Zocor was averaging per month prior to its patent expiration.
Pravastatin prescriptions averaged 611,000 a month in the second half of 2006, and by December had reached 631,000. Pravachol prescriptions fell from an average 743,000 per month between October 2005 and May 2006, to 133,000 in December 2006.
The analysis assessed the average number of prescriptions per month divided into two periods (one eight-month span and one seven-month span) because the number of prescriptions fluctuates month to month. In addition, the early period was before the two new generics became widely available.
The study also found that an older generic -- lovastatin -- had a surge in prescriptions, up 14 percent to 1.2 million per month in the latter half of 2006. That comes on top of a 15 percent increase from late 2004 to October 2005.
Despite the uptake of the new and old generics, the analysis found that brand-name statins retained a significant share of all statin prescriptions -- 71 percent. Lipitor alone accounted for an average 43 percent of all statin prescriptions in the latter half of 2006. Lipitor lost some ground, however, slipping from 46 percent of statin prescriptions in the earlier period (representing a decline of around 216,000 prescriptions per month).
Making up for Lipitor's loss were Crestor and Vytorin. Average monthly Crestor prescription rose 33 percent and Vytorin prescriptions rose 26 percent between the two time periods.
The study also assessed statin prices, which rose modestly and in line with general inflation during the period examined. This was due primarily to price competition and pressure from payers. Both these forces are likely to intensify in 2007 and 2008, given the statins' status as among the most widely prescribed drugs.
The study presents prices for pravastatin and simvastatin before multiple generic versions of either were approved in late 2006. The price of both generics is widely expected to decline in 2007, and will thus put further pressure on statin makers and pharmacies to keep a lid on prices. Wal-Mart and Target in the fall of 2006 added pravastatin to their list of $4-a-month generic drugs.
Pravastatin and simvastatin are two in a wave of generic versions of top- selling brand-name drugs that will become available over the next several years. This offers a substantial savings opportunity to those who pay the pharmacy bills, including consumers themselves. |
