Pfizer hopes consumers will soon be able to get its cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) without a prescription, according to two news reports. But our medical advisors say that's a bad idea because Lipitor and other statins are potent medications that can cause dangerous side effects, and should only be taken with a doctor's supervision. The company is likely looking for ways to make up lost sales - the drug racked up nearly $11 billion last year according to figures from IMS Health - when the patent expires in November. The Food and Drug Administration would have to grant permission for the switch, but that seems unlikely because it has previously said no to over-the-counter sales of two other statins - Mevacor (lovastatin) and Pravachol (pravastatin) - in part due to concerns about safety and that people who don't actually need the medications might take them - Consumer Reports
Showing posts with label Lipitor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lipitor. Show all posts
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Over-the-counter Lipitor? That's risky (Consumer Reports)
Pfizer hopes consumers will soon be able to get its cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin) without a prescription, according to two news reports. But our medical advisors say that's a bad idea because Lipitor and other statins are potent medications that can cause dangerous side effects, and should only be taken with a doctor's supervision. The company is likely looking for ways to make up lost sales - the drug racked up nearly $11 billion last year according to figures from IMS Health - when the patent expires in November. The Food and Drug Administration would have to grant permission for the switch, but that seems unlikely because it has previously said no to over-the-counter sales of two other statins - Mevacor (lovastatin) and Pravachol (pravastatin) - in part due to concerns about safety and that people who don't actually need the medications might take them - Consumer Reports
Monday, January 26, 2009
Pfizer acquires Wyeth for $68bn
"US drugmaker Pfizer is to buy rival Wyeth in a deal worth $68bn (£50bn), the two companies have announced. The merger will allow Pfizer to protect itself from a drop in revenues when its popular drug Lipitor and other products lose patent protection. It will also help Pfizer diversify its product portfolio, thanks to Wyeth's presence in biotech drugs and vaccines. Pfizer also announced plans to cut 10% of its global workforce, or 8,000 jobs, and shut some manufacturing sites" - BBCThursday, September 18, 2008
Top-selling prescription drug mismarketed to women
"Lipitor has been the top-selling drug in the world and has accounted for over $12 billion in annual sales. It has been prescribed to both men and women to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with common risk factors for heart disease. However, a new study appearing in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies was unable to find high quality clinical evidence documenting reduced heart attack risk for women in a primary prevention context. Furthermore, advertising omits label information relevant to women. Theodore Eisenberg of Cornell Law School and Martin T. Wells of Cornell University assembled studies for a meta analysis of drugs' effects on cardiovascular risk, taking into account all relevant studies reporting risks for both men and women" - Blackwell Publishing
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