Robert Seidman, chief pharmacy officer at health insurer Wellpoint Inc., says there will always be a place for Lipitor, but that "there will be an expanded role for generic Zocor."
Wellpoint will waive the copayment for patients on generic Zocor for four to six months. Meanwhile, pharmacy-benefits manager Express Scripts Inc. is recommending that clients take Lipitor off its preferred drug list to encourage use of generic Zocor.
"This study shows they are both excellent drugs, and as advocates of quality affordable medicine we will stress use of generic Zocor," Seidman said.
Some doctors said many patients will be fine using Zocor, but other aren't sure.
"I think the drug that lowers cholesterol the most is the better one," said Dr. Howard Weintraub, co-clinical director of Lipid Treatment and Research at New York University Medical Center.
Weintraub said the hospital received a steep discount on Zocor and removed all but the highest dose of Lipitor off its preferred list. He said many of the doctors prefer using the high dose of Lipitor to the lower doses of Zocor, though, and health insurers will have a tough time pushing the latter because effectiveness is more important to physicians than cost.
Pfizer shares fell 36 cents to close at $21.89 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange, while Merck shares fell 21 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $30.02.
___
On the Net:
JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org
AP medical writers Marilyn Marchione in Dallas and Lindsey Tanner in Chicago contributed to this report.
