Many people with prescription to buy Lipitor turn to generics

Individuals who have a prescription to buy Lipitor now have new options for cholesterol-lowering medications now that the Food and Drug Administration has approved generic alternatives. One generic pill recently hit the market, so what has the response been?

The Dow Jones Newswire reports that the generic statin alternative Lipitor produced by pharmaceutical companies Watson and Ranbaxy captured about 14.6 percent of all prescriptions for the cholesterol-lowering medication in the first few days after it hit pharmacy shelves.

J.P. Morgan analyst Chris Schott told the news source that Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, which produces the branded Lipitor, has moved aggressively to maintain its share of the cholesterol-lowering drug market. Often, after a popular medication loses its patent, the company that produces it will stop pushing for sales.

Some commentators have said that the availability of generic statin medications, which may have a lower price tag, could be a significant development for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. and around the world, according to MedPage Today.

Lipitor was the all-time top selling medication at the time its patent ran out. The availability of less expensive alternatives could help more people access the benefits of the drug.