E-drug: Norwegian GPs protest withdrawal of cheap antihypertensive HCT
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E-druggers,
This issue was, as you will understand from the posting, hotly debated
amongst Norwegian GPs last year. Some of you may remember that this group of
GPs also initiated a successful international action against the WHO
guidelines on hypertension a couple of years ago (we are still awaiting WHOs
revised guidelines...). This time they also asked colleagues in other
countries for assistance, but was told that they did not have the same
problem because they had a viable generics market..... (and then a much
better price as well)
This is not the case in Norway where I think a majority of GPs unfortunately
prefer innovator's brand and also are particularly quick in prescribing the
newest (and most expensive) product on the market. In this case, instead of
asking Norwegian generics manufacturers to take up the challenge of
marketing a generic HCT, they only 'attacked' Merck. And the generics
companies never grabbed the opportunity when I challenged them. (Merck has
on the market a combination product of amilorid and HCT. Other combination
products contain HCT + ACE-inhibitor or angiotensin-II inhibitor).
Anyway, all the time we have had bendroflumethiazide on the market.
Recently, the Novartis product Esidrex which has not been on the market for
some years, has been given market authorisation. It also needs to be added
that unfortunately Norway has not been as good in using thiazides as e.g.
Denmark and the market is therefore rather small.
Kirsten Myhr, MScPharm, MPH
Head, Eastern Region Drug Information Centre
RELIS Ost
Ulleval University Hospital
N-0407 OSLO
Tel: +47 23 01 64 11 Fax: +47 23 01 64 10
kirsten.myhr@relis.ulleval.no
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