Generic Zocor in WellPoint switch plan

INDIANAPOLIS, March 19 (UPI) -- U.S. health plan giant WellPoint said Monday it has added generic Zocor to its program that encourages members to switch to generics.

WellPoint said it has added to its GenericSelect program the drug simvastatin -- the generic equivalent of Merck's branded statin Zocor -- in seven states including Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Virginia.

Under the GenericSelect plan, members in these states can receive up to a four months' supply of the generic drug free as an incentive to switch from brand-name statins like Zocor, Crestor, Lescol, Vytorin and WellPoint's "preferred" brand drug, Lipitor, the health insurer said in a statement.

"Simvastatin is a highly potent statin that has demonstrated proven cardiovascular outcomes in patients participating in clinical trials, making it among the most powerful and popular generic statins available to help patients manage their cholesterol levels," said Brian Sweet, WellPoint's chief clinical pharmacy officer.

"The increased availability of generics has also fostered healthy competition and driven prices down considerably, which makes these commonly prescribed treatments more affordable."

Zocor, with annual sales estimated at $5 billion, lost patent protection last year, clearing the way for cheaper generic copies.