For individuals suffering from high cholesterol or those that are at risk for stroke, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems, Lipitor can often serve as an effective form of treatment. Lipitor works by inhibiting the functionality of an enzyme in the liver. This enzyme is necessary for the body to properly produce cholesterol. However, because Lipitor patients suffer from abnormally high cholesterol, disabling this enzyme allows blood cholesterol levels to be considerably lowered. However, Lipitor needs to be combined with a healthy diet and exercise regimen in order to result in success. In order to save on treatment costs, some patients have expressed a desire to buy generic Lipitor. While such a drug is unavailable, it is scheduled to hit markets in late 2011.
Why Can’t I Buy Generic Lipitor?
Generic Lipitor, also known as atorvastatin, is currently patented by Pfizer, which protects the drug from unauthorized duplication for the duration of its exclusivity period. According to the U.S. patent office, Pfizers patent on Lipitor is set to expire in June 2011. However, Ranberry Laboritieis, a company that is already planning to release a generic version of Lipitor, has agreed not to introduce commercial atorvastatin until November 2011.
Atorvastatin is widely-available in India under a different name, but patients are encouraged to exercise extreme caution before they buy generic Lipitor from an international pharmacy. Because other nations may or may not implement as stringet regulations as those developed by the U.S.’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), patients have little way of verifying a foreign-bought drug’s legitimacy.
Why Should I Buy Generic Lipitor?
Atorvastatin is chemically and pharmocokinetically identical to name brand Lipitor. This means that patients can experience the same quality of treatment at a lower price. Generic drugs are nearly always cheaper than their name-brand counterparts. This is due largely to the differing way in which the FDA approves new drugs and clears generic versions of existing drugs, such as Lipitor.
Because Pfizer has already already been extensively tested and researched name brand Lipitor, a company seeking to produce and market a generic version of the same drug does not have to go through a trial period of comparable length. This reduction in required testing results in lower overhead costs for the generic manufacturer, allowing them to lower market costs. Once it becomes possible to buy generic Lipitor in late 2011, patients wishing to cut costs may want to discuss switching to a generic form of the drug with their physicians.