Should you switch to a generic version of Zocor or another prescription medication? Read this … then decide.
Typically, a generic drug is much less expensive than its brand-name counterpart, and opting for it can make economic sense for both you and your health plan. Switching from Zocor to generic simvastatin should not change its effect on your cholesterol level or introduce new side effects—the FDA requires generics and brand-name drugs to be of equal quality and effectiveness. However, switching from Zocor might not save you much money right away.
It’s not unusual for one or two generic makers to contract with the brand-name drug maker for a limited period of exclusive manufacturing rights. With only a few generic makers producing simvastatin right now, prices are still high. A 90-day supply of 20 mg of generic simvastatin (a typical starting dose) costs $353.95 at Drugstore.com compared with $399.97 for brandname Zocor.
Furthermore, in anticipation of less expensive generic copies, Merck, the company that produces Zocor, offered insurance companies such a low price on Zocor that several health plans won’t switch their coverage from Zocor to generic simvastatin until prices drop further.
If and when generic simvastatin is added to your health plan’s formulary (the list of drugs that your health plan covers), you should save money on your prescription copay.
All statins lower LDL cholesterol levels. The three most potent statins can reduce LDL cholesterol by 30% or more. Crestor (rosuvastatin) is the most potent statin, followed in order by Lipitor (atorvastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), and Lescol (fluvastatin). Your doctor decides which statin is right for you based on how much you need to lower your cholesterol level and whether or not you need to raise your HDL cholesterol or lower your triglycerides.
Generic pravastatin and lovastatin are already available by prescription and may offer substantial savings. At Drugstore.com, a 90-day supply of a starting dose of 40-mg pravastatin is $252.00 compared with $389.97 for brand-name Pravachol; a 90-day supply of 40-mg lovastatin is $99.95 compared with $354.95 for Mevacor.
The Bottom Line on Generic Zocor: Although all statins are similar, subtle differences may make one of the available formulations better for you than another, depending on how much you need to lower your cholesterol, whether you also need to raise your HDL or lower your triglycerides, and what other medications you may be taking. Once these considerations have been addressed, nonmedical issues, such as cost and the time of day the medication should be taken, may be factored into the equation.
