August 14, 2006
Teva launches generic Zoloft (finally)
Details are scant, but Teva has finally launched their generic sertraline. First to file an ANDA, they get the lock-up on the market for the next 180 days, unless Pfizer teams up with someone to launch an "authorized" generic.
I hope we get sertraline in this week — I can't seem to find the details on when shipments will be arriving, but a lot of people have been waiting. Rationing their tablets, even, in the hopes that "any day now" generic Zoloft would finally be available in retail pharmacies. Looks like it's going to happen any day now.
[tags]Medicine, pharmacy, Zoloft, sertraline, Pfizer[/tags]
| 1:32 pm |
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Strange. Simvastatin and sertraline have been available as generics in the UK for a substantial time. Recent generic launches include lansoprazole, summatriptan and fentanyl, but I've not heard anything yet about generic clopidegrel.
Interesting site by the way, even for someone from the other side of the pond. If I had one request, it would be to include generic drug names, since brand names often differ (Zoloft in the US and Lustral in the UK).
Comment by Steve — August 14, 2006 @ 4:33 pm
Right. Intellectual property laws differ from country to country, as you probably know. For instance, Zoloft wasn't approved (at all) in Japan until just a month or two ago (as J-Zoloft), so it'll probably be a VERY long time before you see generic sertraline there.
In the US, the patent protection lasts for 20 years from the date of patent, but the effective patent life is usually about 10 years once the FDA approves a given drug. It's probably different in the UK. Given the artificial price controls imposed by your nationalized system, patent protect there isn't as profitable as it is here in the US.
As for your naming request, I try to include the generic name in the post slug. I'll try to use Brand Name (generic) naming form at least once from here on in in my opening paragraph.
Imitrex/Imigran (sumatriptan) is now available OTC on your side of the pond now, isn't it? (And FWIW, the FDA has approved generic sumatriptan here in the US, too, it just hasn't hit pharmacy shelves yet.)
Comment by RJS — August 14, 2006 @ 9:32 pm
Yeah, sumatriptan has just been launched OTC in the UK. Simvastatin 10mg and omeprazole 10mg are also fairly recent switches, and emergency hormonal contraception has been available OTC for at least 5 years iirc.
Patent protection is profiable in the UK, though maybe not quite as much as in the US. There is huge pressure on GPs to prescribe generically, so as soon as a generic is launched, sales of the brand die. It is very rare to see scripts for zocor, zoton, losec or immigran for example. Most scripts are written generically, so as soon as a generic is available its dispensed.
Comment by Steve — August 15, 2006 @ 3:25 pm