FDA approves several generic versions of clopidogrel.

The AP (5/18, Johnson) reports, "Patients taking the popular blood thinner Plavix [clopidogrel] now have the option of getting a less-expensive pill, following the" FDA "approval Thursday of the first generic versions in the US." The agency "said it has given seven companies permission to sell generic Plavix, or clopidogrel, in the standard 75-milligram dose." The FDA "also gave four generic drugmakers approval to sell a 300-milligram dose of Plavix."

        HealthDay (5/18, Reinberg) reports that in a news release, Keith Webber, deputy director of the Office of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, "For people who must manage chronic health conditions, having effective and affordable treatment options is important. The generic products approved today will expand those options for patients."

        MedPage Today (5/18, Gever) reports, "Bristol-Myers Squibb has set up a program that will keep patients' out-of-pocket cost of brand-name Plavix down to $37 per month through the end of this year."

        Forbes (5/18, Husten) points out that "in recent years the FDA approved two newer antiplatelet drugs that had been designed to take over the central role of Plavix in treating acute coronary syndromes. However, these drugs, prasugrel (Effient) and ticagrelor (Brilinta) have been struggling in the marketplace, and at this point appear very unlikely to command a significant share of the market." Medscape (5/18, Lowes) also covers the story.