Generic Version of Topamax® Will Save Upstate New Yorkers Millions

ROCHESTER, NY (04/07/2009)(readMedia)-- The prescription drug cost for treating migraine headaches could shrink by more than $300 a month if upstate New Yorkers who take prescription Topamax® switch to the drug's newly available generic equivalent, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield experts predicted today.

More than 137,000 people in upstate New York use Topamax at an annual expense of $45 million. Topamax is often used in combination with other drugs to treat migraines, seizures and certain mental health conditions. The retail price of the commonly prescribed, twice daily, 50-milligram dose of Topamax is approximately $340 for a 30-day supply. Generic topiramate is expected cost $30 per month.

"Consumers will benefit from a move to generic topiramate because they'll have lower out-of-pocket costs," said Dr. Joel Owerbach, vice president and chief pharmacy officer, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. "The savings potential is significant and consumers can be confident that the generic is a safe and effective alternative because it has the same active ingredients and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration."

Topamax is one of 25 popular brand-name drugs scheduled to become available in a generic form over the next 24 months, according to a new fact sheet issued by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. "The Facts About Opportunities for Generic Savings in 2009 and 2010" notes that more than 2.5 million upstate New Yorkers spend nearly $475 million a year on these particular drugs to treat common medical conditions. The generic versions will provide an opportunity to reduce overall health care spending in upstate New York by hundreds of millions of dollars.

"The increased availability of generic drugs will save consumers money at the pharmacy through lower copays and out-of-pocket costs, lower benefit expenses for employer-sponsored and government health plans and may help to improve patient compliance," said Owerbach. "It's a win-win for everyone."

Most drug manufacturers are granted an exclusive patent to produce the brand-name drug for a fixed period of time. "Once the patent expires, multiple companies can produce a generic version, resulting in lower costs for consumers," said Owerbach. "On average, the cost of a generic drug is a quarter to one-third the cost of a brand-name drug."

Other drugs whose patents are scheduled to expire in 2009 and 2010 include Prevacid®, Hyzaar®, Cozaar® and Flomax®.

• The patent for Prevacid is expected to expire in November 2009. Prevacid is a proton pump inhibitor, a class of drugs that treats heartburn and acid reflux, and also includes generic and over-the-counter omeprazole (brand-name Prilosec®) and generic pantoprazole (brand-name Protonix®). A recent Excellus BCBS report titled, "The Top 10 Drugs and Drug Categories in Upstate New York by Amount of Spending," showed that in 2007, Prevacid was one of 10 brand-name drugs accounting for more than $1 billion in prescription drug spending. The availability of this new generic option offers an additional savings opportunity for those seeking relief from heartburn.
• The generic equivalents of two brand-name drugs to treat high blood pressure, Hyzaar and Cozaar, will become available in April 2010. These are the first brand-name drugs in their therapeutic category (angiotensin inhibitors) to come off patent.
• Early in 2010, Flomax, the popular brand-name drug for the treatment of prostate enlargement, will become available as a generic. More than 450,000 prescriptions were filled for Flomax in 2008 in upstate New York, at a cost of $51 million.

Measurable increases in the use of generic drugs as alternatives to higher-priced brand-name drugs produced estimated savings totaling $369 million across upstate New York in 2008, according to an analysis of prescription patterns released in January 2009 by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

The analysis shows that from October 2007 to October 2008, the overall "generic fill rate" across upstate New York counties increased by 4.5 percentage points, from 63.9 percent to 68.4 percent. The generic fill rate is the percentage of all drug prescriptions that are filled with a generic. Details are available under "Fact Sheets" in the "Public Policy & Research" section of the Web site, www.excellusbcbs.com .

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield also has a number of additional educational materials and resources available on its Web site, including a consumer reference guide that lists available generic drug options for a variety of common conditions. The reference guide is available at: go.excellusbcbs.com/generics under "Tools and Resources."'

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Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, a nonprofit independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association, is part of a family of companies that finances and delivers vital health care services to 1.8 million people across upstate New York. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield provides access to high-quality, affordable health coverage, including valuable health-related resources that our members use every day, such as cost-saving prescription drug discounts and wellness tracking tools in our Step Up program. To learn more, visit www.excellusbcbs.com .