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Generic Lipitor Still More Expensive in U.S. than Brand Name Lipitor in Other Countries, According to PharmacyChecker.com

 
 

White Plains, New York – December 1, 2011 – How much can a person save now that Lipitor is available generically? “Not as much as they always could by buying the brand name drug from other countries,” according to Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of PharmacyChecker.com. Lipitor sells for approximately $5 to $6 per 20 mg pill in the U.S. and newly available generic versions are expected to sell for about $3 or $4 per pill. However, a search on www.PharmacyChecker.com shows that the brand name product, not generic, is available for as little as $0.89 from Turkey, $2.11 from the UK, and $3.07 from Canada. “These are all the genuine, branded medicine from Pfizer, and, of course, there are generic versions for even less,” Cooperman added.


While generic Lipitor means reduced co-pays for Americans with pharmacy benefit plans, for any of the 50 million Americans without prescription coverage the annual cost remains high. The cash price in the U.S. for Lipitor of about $2,000 per year falls only to about $1,300 for its generic, called atorvastatin. People in other countries have been spending as little as $400 for the branded product.


Although, by law, buying medicines from pharmacies in other countries generally remains illegal for Americans, it is estimated that 1 million Americans do it safely, receiving the medicines by mail without government intervention. It is important that people choose pharmacies that are licensed in the countries in which they operate, require a valid prescription, and meet other safe pharmacy and business practices. PharmacyChecker.com has been verifying credentials of U.S., Canadian, and international online pharmacies since 2003. Verified pharmacies and drug prices are listed free on its website, www.PharmacyChecker.com.


Source: PharmacyChecker.com, Lipitor Pricing and Ordering Comparisons – Lipitor – Brand Version: 20 mg. (Accessed 12/1/2011)

Contact: Tod Cooperman, M.D. at 914-722-0116 or Gabriel Levitt, Vice President of PharmacyChecker.com, at (718) 387-4526