In June 2006, insurers and government agencies will have the opportunity to start using an inexpensive generic version of the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor instead of the more pricey Lipitor.

Pfizer, which makes Lipitor, plans to use marketing muscle to fight the change. They claim that Lipitor has unique benefits that make it worth the price.

Both Lipitor and Zocor are statin drugs, which are the nation's best-selling medications. Almost 150 million prescriptions will be filled this year, with a $16 billion price tag.

Insurers and some cardiologists say that, in many cases, patients who take the a common dosage of Lipitor, such as 10 milligrams daily, can reduce their cholesterol just as much with Zocor. Lipitor costs $2 or more a day, whereas generic Zocor will likely cost 35 cents or less.

The battle over which drug will be prescribed will involve many of the fundamental forces currently driving American health care. Prescription drug sales have increased from $40 billionfifteen years agoto almost $250 billion today. But while many complain about the cost of prescription drugs, patients are also frequently reluctant to accept generic medicines instead of more expensive brand-name medications that might be slightly better.

New York Times October 15, 2005 Registration RequiredThe (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger October 15, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comment:A few months ago I warned you about Merck's over-the-counter (OTC) statin drug under consideration by the FDA. It never happened in the US, although it did in the U.K. with Zocor.

I suspect Pfizer will have a hard time proving Lipitor is worth the higher price, based on a German study Iran last month that found it to be no better benefit-wise than other statins and that it may actually pose worse side effects for patients too. Please understand that Lipitor isn't the "best" statin drug -- simply the one with the best marketing program.

The fact is, all statins are a "cure" for a symptom, and do nothing to address the underlying causes of the problem. All they do is cost you money and put you at riskfor serious and sometimes life-threatening side effects. If you want to know the real truth about statins and their dangers, read my past article The Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs.

You don't need to be taking a statin drug -- a generic or patented toxic "Band-Aid" -- at all, if you make two basic lifestyle changes:

• Reducing, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars from your diet.
• Starting a daily exercise program focusing on improving your cardiovascular system.