Judge blocks generic version of Lilly drug

Eli Lilly and Co. has temporarily blocked Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. from selling a cheaper generic copy of Lilly's osteoporosis drug Evista.

[Faye Cooley]

I would really appreciate it if you would allow the generic version of Evista. Health insurance costs being what they are, it's even harder for retirees to pay the higher costs of the drugs they need to stay healthy. I had hoped that by now the generic drug would be available since I am now retired and have been taking Evista for over ten years. Please re-consider your decision.

[Jan Mullins]

I would also appreciate a generic evista. I started on evista 10 years ago, stopped for awhile and tried actonel, but my stomach couldn't handle it. Evista and I get along very well, I have actually gained in bone density. The cost however is getting crazy and I am looking for an alternative. Just can't keep paying these high drug prices.

[Aruna Gurjar]

I have been taking Evista for last 3 years for osteoporosis. I also wish that there is a generic drug because the drug is very expensive even using medical insurance. Since it is a maintenance drug it should be cheaper. Most of the people at this age do require more than one drug and the cost adds up if all of them tend to be brand names.

[CAJ]

I concur with comments #1,#2, and #3 above about the need for a generic Evista. And I have some interesting facts to convey. My Medicare Advantage mail order pharmacy just charged me a copay of $70 and says KP pays them $301.95 for a grand total of $371.95 for a 3 mo. supply--that's 90 tablets as months are defined by Rx in the US. I ask this as an aside: when has there ever been 3-30 day months in a row? What started me looking into this issue on the internet which led me here is this: my just received Rx bottle is labeled NOT Evista but Raloxafine (the generic name of the drug in Evista). So this made me think a generic had become available so my copay would be less and KP"s share would also be less. This led me to explore the internet and learned that Lilly has quite recently gotten a judge to block the release of the generic form by another drug company that was set to release it. Boo for that judge. I also learned online that the generic is already available in Canada at around $100 for 100 tablets. If I were still on Medicare Part D, I would be even more concerned for the total cost (copay + insurance pay) is the amount that is used to determine when one has entered the Coverage Gap (known as the donut hole) and must then pay 100% of one's drug costs. At $371.95 for 90 tablets in the US, Canada's $100 for 100 tablets looks really inviting!

[LaB]

I hope that judge and his family pay outrageous
prices for their prescriptions too...
anyway, let's boycott the US and get it from Canada
for now

[Chris K]

I agree with all of the above. My company just changed our health insurance provider and I now have to pay over $90 for 30 days worth of Evista, which is really a hardship as I get paid 50% of my salary at the moment. The actual cost at Walgreen's without a prescription plan is over $160. I read that Lilly made over $1 billion last year on Evista sales. You'd think by now they would give us a break! I would be interested in getting my prescriptions from Canada. Does anyone know how you do that?

[Trish]

Ah...the U.S. District Court Judge that blocked the release is a woman! One Sarah Evans Barker...shame on you Madam. It boils down to money, money, money for the manufacturer when it should be the wealth and welfare for the patient. We so need an overhaul on the health insurance. This is ridiculous.

[Dick]

Couple the high cost of Evista with that for Aricept and other meds and we're too soon into the donut hole for Medicare presciptions. Who can afford that? We really need to change the system that denies the manufacture of generics and lets the brand manufacturer make hundreds of millions. Where's the common sense? Come on lawmakers!!!

[Ruth]

Between the cost of Evista and Arimidex, which I need to prevent the return of breast cancer, it is enough to break the bank of any hard-working retiree such as myself. The donut hole is very easy to reach, I know! Why a judge would deny the manufacture of a generic is way beyond me!

[Danny Haszard]

Eli Lilly goaded sales reps that promoted it's unethical "Viva Zyprexa" sales campaign another slogan "FIVE at FIVE" was a sales whoop by theses same reps to push $10 a pill Zyprexa at 5 PM to make nursing home patients subdued and sleepy.

Eli Liily also schemed to absolve individual MD's of any liability.
Doctors must be responsible true, but what Lilly instigated was pure criminal greed that KILLED people.
--
Daniel Haszard zyprexa victim

[Marco]

Hi!

why not to order Generic Evista online ?
http://www.soft-tabs.info/buy-evista-online.h...

many people are already doing it.

PS Lilly produces some drugs in India as well

[KGa]

I have taken Evista since it came on the market. It has been and is ridiculously expensive. Since I first took Evista I have known that it was available as a non-prescription in France. At that time it was selling for about $30 for 30 pills. Too bad we can't do that here. It seems so foolish...money hungry pharmaceutical companies.

[Barbara]

I decided to look it up to see if Vista is going generic soon. I know it has been close to 10 years since I started taking it. Anyway, now I see that some judge has postponed the generic going on the market. We Americans need some help with the high costs of drugs. I have given my fair share to Lilly over the years - come on, Lilly, you got yours, let the generic help us regular folks out a little. PLEASE.

[Lin Pirretti]

CAJ wrote:

I concur with comments #1,#2, and #3 above about the need for a generic Evista. And I have some interesting facts to convey. My Medicare Advantage mail order pharmacy just charged me a copay of $70 and says KP pays them $301.95 for a grand total of $371.95 for a 3 mo. supply--that's 90 tablets as months are defined by Rx in the US. I ask this as an aside: when has there ever been 3-30 day months in a row? What started me looking into this issue on the internet which led me here is this: my just received Rx bottle is labeled NOT Evista but Raloxafine (the generic name of the drug in Evista). So this made me think a generic had become available so my copay would be less and KP"s share would also be less. This led me to explore the internet and learned that Lilly has quite recently gotten a judge to block the release of the generic form by another drug company that was set to release it. Boo for that judge. I also learned online that the generic is already available in Canada at around $100 for 100 tablets. If I were still on Medicare Part D, I would be even more concerned for the total cost (copay + insurance pay) is the amount that is used to determine when one has entered the Coverage Gap (known as the donut hole) and must then pay 100% of one's drug costs. At $371.95 for 90 tablets in the US, Canada's $100 for 100 tablets looks really inviting!

I agree that the generic should be available in the U.S. BEfore I got Humana, I bought Evists (Ralozifene) through Discount DRug of Canada. I am now going to have to return to buying them from Canada. What a shame on the U. S. drug companys!
Lin

[Lin Pirretti]

Barbara wrote:

I decided to look it up to see if Vista is going generic soon. I know it has been close to 10 years since I started taking it. Anyway, now I see that some judge has postponed the generic going on the market. We Americans need some help with the high costs of drugs. I have given my fair share to Lilly over the years - come on, Lilly, you got yours, let the generic help us regular folks out a little. PLEASE.

Try Discount Drugs of Canada...they are much cheaper.
Lin

[Lin Pirretti]

Try Discount Drugs of Canada. They are cheaper and provide the generic Raloxifene for Evist.
Shame on the U.S. drug companys!
Lin Pirretti

[Joan]

Like most of the others, I am now on Medicare and pay Medicare Part D premiums monthly. Evista is considered a Tier II drug and is far more costly than I paid when I was working. Now that my income is limited, paying for Evista is a hardship. Why is there no generic version after so many years?? I have been taking Evista for at least 5 years.

[jean]

Chris K wrote:

I agree with all of the above. My company just changed our health insurance provider and I now have to pay over $90 for 30 days worth of Evista, which is really a hardship as I get paid 50% of my salary at the moment. The actual cost at Walgreen's without a prescription plan is over $160. I read that Lilly made over $1 billion last year on Evista sales. You'd think by now they would give us a break! I would be interested in getting my prescriptions from Canada. Does anyone know how you do that?

I am a 75 yr old woman-have been buying all my drugs in Canada. Get on the net, call the 800# for Canada Pharmacy. Either mail or fax your Rx, use a Credit card and wait about 2 weeks for delivery. I save from 40 to 70% and refuse to buy here from the US drug companies-It is a crime to rip off old people with their prices. Canada buying is simple, millions of us do it routinely.