Ask Your Doctor About These Possible Rx Alternatives
By: Source: AARP Bulletin Today Date Posted: 2004-03-30 11:26:00-05:00
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Upset that you can't get your medication from Canada anymore? Ask your doctor whether other prescription drugs (including lower-cost generics) could work just as well. Here are alternatives to some drugs that may be difficult to order from Canada following efforts by Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Wyeth and Eli Lilly to stop Canadian pharmacies selling their products to Americans:
| Drug (Manufacturer) | Use | Alternate Brand(s) | Alternate generic(s) |
| Lipitor (Pfizer) | cholesterol reduction | Zocor (Merck) | prava-statin |
| Celebrex (Pfizer) | arthritis, pain | no generic yet available, but, for many people, generic ibuprofen, naproxen, and ketoprofen may be just as effective and safe | |
| Norvasc (Pfizer) | high blood pressure | Cardene (Roche) | nicardipine |
| Zestril (AstraZeneca) | high blood pressure | Altace (Aventis), Vascor (McNeil), Prinivil (Merck-Frosst) | captopril, enalapril |
| Flonase (GlaxoSmithKline) | allergies, nasal conditions | Nasacort (Aventis), Nasalide (Hoffman La Roche) | flunisolide |
| Prilosec and Nexium (AstraZeneca), Protonix (Wyeth) | ulcers, gastroesophageal conditions | Over-the-counter Prilosec (Procter & Gamble), Prevacid (Tap), Aciphex (Janssen-Ortho) | omeprazole |
Source: Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota
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