Indian drugmaker OK'd to launch generic Lipitor

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By LINDA A. JOHNSON

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - India's largest maker of generic drugs won approval late Wednesday to sell a generic version of cholesterol blockbuster Lipitor. The world's top-selling drug ever lost U.S. patent protection earlier in the day.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it granted Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. approval to sell a generic verson of Pfizer Inc. (PFE)'s Lipitor, called atorvastatin calcium. The last-minute decision ended widespread speculation over the outcome of a delay caused by long-standing manufacturing issues at some Ranbaxy factories.

Ranbaxy confirmed the approval in a statement issued late Wednesday night, noting Lipitor generated $7.9 billion in U.S. sales in the 12 months through September. Ranbaxy spokesman Chuck Caprariello said shipments would begin immediately.

Analysts, pharmacists and others had been watching closely to see whether Ranbaxy would be able to get its generic on the market by the time the patent expired for Lipitor.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20111201/D9RBGHV00.html

[groundloop]

1. Good news for consumers, too bad this generic drug isn't being made in US

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Already one out made by Watson Pharmaceuticals of NJ.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204012004577069943298865020.html

Earlier Wednesday Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. began selling a generic version of Lipitor, marking the long-awaited loss of U.S. market exclusivity for the world's top-selling drug. Watson, of Parsippany, N.J., is selling a so-called authorized generic version of Lipitor, in partnership with Pfizer for the next five years.

[CountAllVotes]

3. Lipitor from India

You can buy it online very inexpensively here: www.alldaychemist.com

:kick:

[Psephos]

5. This pharmacy in London is also good.

https://www.assetchemist.co.uk/login.php

I've used them for several years.

[arikara]

4. Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good?

Research suggests that, except among high-risk heart patients, the benefits of statins such as Lipitor are overstated .

...Wright saw, the drugs can be life-saving in patients who already have suffered heart attacks, somewhat reducing the chances of a recurrence that could lead to an early death. But Wright had a surprise when he looked at the data for the majority of patients, like Winn, who don't have heart disease. He found no benefit in people over the age of 65, no matter how much their cholesterol declines, and no benefit in women of any age. He did see a small reduction in the number of heart attacks for middle-aged men taking statins in clinical trials. But even for these men, there was no overall reduction in total deaths or illnesses requiring hospitalization—despite big reductions in "bad" cholesterol. "Most people are taking something with no chance of benefit and a risk of harm," says Wright. Based on the evidence, and the fact that Winn didn't actually have angina, Wright changed his mind about treating him with statins—and Winn, too, was persuaded. "Because there's no apparent benefit," he says, "I don't take them anymore." ...

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_04/b4068052092994.htm?chan=rss_topStories_ssi_5

Some fyi info before you possibly waste your hard earned money on this expensive and potentially harmful medication. The Mr is one of the people who has adverse side effects and yet his cardiologist continues to pressure him to take these pills. Thankfully his family doctor has read the research.