Lawmakers Seek Information on Generic Version of Lipitor

On Wednesday, Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) sent a letter to drugmaker Pfizer, three pharmacy benefit managers and two health insurers asking them to reveal details about their agreements to block generic versions of the anti-cholesterol drug Lipitor and promote only Pfizer's brand-name version. The inquiry coincides with the expiration of the patent for Lipitor, which generated about 16% of Pfizer's revenue in 2010. Meanwhile, FDA granted approval to Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories to begin marketing a generic version of Lipitor.

• "Senators Question Deals To Block Generic Lipitor" (Wilson, New York Times, 12/1).
• "Pfizer Arranging for Insurer To Provide Lipitor at Generic Prices" (George, Philadelphia Business Journal, 11/30).
• "Indian Drugmaker Gets FDA Approval To Sell Generic Lipitor, After Delay Over Quality Problems" (AP/Washington Post, 11/30).