E-DRUG: Why is lovastatin not registered in UK?
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Dear E-druggers,
Can any one of you tell me why lovastatin is no longer appearing in the BNF under statins. Is it because it is inferior in some respect among the other statins?
In our country lovastatin is usually available in tertiary care government hospitals free of charge to patients where as other statins are available only for a few months/year. Nevertheless most consultants are reluctant to prescribe lovastatin and asks patients to pay for another statin out of the pocket.
Thank you.
Dr.Ruwan Chandana
Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology
Dept. of Pharmacology
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ruhuna
Sri Lanka
T.P. +94 77 3750381
ruwanprsd@yahoo.com
E-DRUG: Why is lovastatin not registered in UK? (4)
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Dear Ruwan,
I agree with you that Lovastatin is not in the BNF. I asked this same question from the editor of the BNF and he could not give a reason. I have a gut feeling that Merck would have stopped producing when the trials showed that its comparative efficacy was low for lovastatin. They are the produces of ZOCOR (simvaststin).
As the chairperson of the EDL we also asked MSD not to get lovastatin hence I am not sure why it is still in the hospitals. Unless some indian company is donating them, and expecting doctors to prescribe it in the private sector.
all the best
Prof Rohini
Prof Rohini Fernandopulle
Prof Pharmacology
International Medical University
Plaza Komanwel,
Bukit Jalil 57000
rohinifernandopulle@hotmail.com
E-DRUG: Why is lovastatin not registered in UK? (2)
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Dear all,
You may be interested in the review of stats in considered at the March
2007 meeting of the Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential
Medicines, see
http://mednet3.who.int/EML/expcom/expcom15/applications/newmed/statins/S
tatins.pdf
and also the meeting report.
Simvastatin, atorvastatin, lovastatin and pravastatin were considered to be equivalent alternatives, allowing for appropriate doses.
Kind regards
Sue Hill
Dr Suzanne Hill
Scientist
Policy, Access and Rational Use
Medicines Policy and Standards
phone 41 22 7913522
fax 41 22 791 4167
email: hills@who.int
E-DRUG: Why is lovastatin not registered in UK? (3)
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Dear Dr.Ruwan Chandana,
Good question!
Lovastatin = mevinolin is no longer commercially attractive. The US patent dates back to 1980 and initially there have been some differences of opinion with the Japanese inventor, Endo, about who held the original rights on the patent.
Apparently Merck chose the option of withdrawing the drug from the Western market and replace it with one of their newer me-too's [simvastatine? WB].
But there is no scientific argument against using the drug where it is still available.
One has to dig far back for the clinical literature, but there is excellent evidence (e.g., Tobert, Circulation 1987;76:534-8; Am J Cardiol 1988;62:28J-34J). I have often wondered why industries in developing countries have not restarted the production. As it is no longer registered in Western countries there is no competition. Merck probably withdrew their license, but I don't know the intrinsic details.
regards
Dr.Leo Offerhaus
Koedijklaan 1a
1406 KW Bussum,
the Netherlands
E-DRUG: Why is lovastatin not registered in UK? (5)
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dear E-druggers,
It seems lovastatin is still registered in the US and available as a
generic.
Regards
Ruth Lopert
Visiting Associate Professor
Department of Health Policy
George Washington University
2021 K St NW,
Washington DC 20006
USA
ruth.lopert@gmail.com
E-DRUG: Bhutan Essential Drugs List 2007
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Dear All,
The latest edition of the Bhutan Essential Drugs List
(EDL) 2007 and National Drug Policy is now on the web.
Please visit www.health.gov.bt for more information.
regards
Manusika Rai
Program Manager
Essential Drugs Program
Bhutan
edp@druknet.bt