FDA approves 7 companies to sell generic Plavix in pharmacies immediately

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(CBS/AP) The popular blood thinner Plavix is going generic, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday, giving lower cost options for the people who take the blood thinner to reduce their risk for stroke and heart attack.

Prescription drug prices set to fall as patents expire
Cheaper pills? 7 top-selling drugs set to go generic

The patent for Plavix, the world's second-best-selling medicine just expired, and the FDA said it gave seven companies permission to sell generic Plavix or clopidogrel in the standard 75-milligram dose.

The agency also gave four generic drugmakers approval to sell a 300-milligram dose of Plavix that's given as initial treatment to patients who have just had a heart attack.

Plavix is taken by millions of people every day to prevent heart attacks and strokes by preventing platelets in the blood from clumping together. Brand-name Plavix is marketed jointly by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi SA. They're now offering coupons giving a big discount off the brand price, which is currently about $200 per month.

Patients who sign up for the Plavix Choice Card program at http://www.plavix.com will get a 30-day supply for no more than $37 through the end of the year, if they are paying with cash or have private insurance. The program is not open to people covered by state or federal health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, or to residents of Massachusetts, where such programs are prohibited.

Bristol-Myers and Sanofi had been splitting nearly $9 billion a year in revenue from Plavix the last several years, but that started declining in 2011 after the drug's patent expired in several European countries and other major markets.

That revenue will decline more quickly with generic versions now available in the U.S., which accounts for close to half of all prescription drug sales globally.

According to the FDA, 75-milligram generic Plavix can now be sold by Apotex Corp., Aurobindo Pharma, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Roxanne Laboratories, Sun Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Torrent Pharmaceuticals. The larger dose will be sold by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Gate Pharmaceuticals, Mylan and Teva.

The generics should be available in pharmacies immediately. Among them, Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies nationwide will begin selling generic Plavix on Saturday for about $40 a month or a $10 co-pay with insurance.

The FDA has more information on generic drugs.

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Cheaper pills? 7 top-selling drugs set to go generic

[RN4Truth]

While I am happy that the outrageous price for the brand name drug is "no more"because patients have access to a generic form, I also want to warn people that Plavix or clopidogrel, there remains the dangerous effect that the medication can result in severe, life threatening bleeding. As the ER physician said to me, We cannot reverse the bleeding. We (physicians) can simply support patients with platelets.THIS IS A DANGEROUS DRUG!

[tigerdad1955]

I've been taking Plavix for seven years. Prior to taking it I had multiple blockages over a decade that required surgery to correct. Since then no blockages and my health has been excellent.

For millions of people, this drug has been a life saver. Your user name insinuates that you are a registered nurse. If so, then you should know that every drug has the potential of side effects and it's up to the patient and doctor to weigh the risks vs the benefits. Making an blanket unsupported comment concerning the value of a drug without also recognizing that for many patients it is the best course of action is inexcusable. How many people will see your post and avoid proper treatment because of it? How many of those will die of a heart attack?

Suggesting that a patient exercise caution and show prudence is one thing. Telling them to ignore the advice of their doctor without knowing their individual medical history is tantamount to malpractice. You should be ashamed.