Generic versions of Lipitor to hit pharmacy shelves

In just days, a number of generic versions of Lipitor will hit pharmacy shelves. Pfizer's 180-day generic exclusivity agreement for the medication expires at the end of the month. That will bring a host of new generic alternatives, and potential confusion, to more than 3 million Americans looking to control their cholesterol and reduce the cost of their drug therapies.

Clark Kebodeaux, Pharm.D., assistant professor pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, deals with this issue every day when he's practicing at Walgreens in St. Louis.

He will answer some common questions including:
•Will the price of Lipitor come down?
•Will the new generic alternatives work as well as Lipitor?
•Does the generic medication affect me differently?
•Do the inactive ingredients in the medication have any effect on patients?
•Are there cases where the brand name works better than the generic?
•Questions patients should ask their pharmacist or doctor about switching to generic.

Lipitor is the best-selling prescription drug of all time, and most prescribed brand-name drug in America. Every day about 3.5 million Americans take Lipitor.