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Show _Al7 The Salt Lake Tribune NATION Friday, May26, 1995 Premarin Maker Battling Its Generic Competitor THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — The maker of the nation’s most-prescribed drug, an estrogen replacement taken by 9 million women,is trying to stop the government from approving a generic version. The substitute might not work as well, the companysays. It’s just a ploy to stifle competition, the generic’s makerretorts. The campaign by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories threatens to keep a generic version of its Premarin off pharmacy shelves. And whateverthe outcome, the squabbling might shake some consumers’ faith in other generics they buy for many conditions. “This is a very unusual situation,” said Janet Woodcock, the Food and Drug Administration’s drug-evaluation boss. But she added, ‘‘We have nointerest in approving generic drugs that are not therapeutically equivalent. .. We must keep consumerconfidence in generic drugs.” At stake is competition for a drug that is a complex mix of es- trogens culled from the urine of pregnanthorses.It helps some 9 million post-menopausal women preventandtreatdisabling osteoporosis, the brittle-bone disease that afflicts up to 25 million Americans. Premarin costs 40 cents a day. A generic couldcost a nickel. Haunted by several genericdrug failures, Congress in 1984 mandated that the FDA ensure every generic be completely interchangeable with the brandnameversion. A generic company must proveits product not in the long, human trials the original drug undergoes, but in laboratory tests to ensure the drug is bioequivalent, or absorbed the same. Most drugs contain just one or {two active ingredients, making the generic copy easy. But because Premarin is a natural prod‘uct that, despite 50 years of use, 10 YEARS OF 60 MINUTE ‘997. WITH COUPON AS Sey ot AS SS The FDA has identified five types of estrogen that studies show arevital for Premarin’s success. It is evaluating a generic candidate, made by Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Cincinnati, that followed thatrecipe. But Premarin manufacturer Wyeth-Ayerst hasfiled a petition to kill its generic competitor, arguing that Premarin in fact has six vital estrogens. Without this last type — formally called delta 8,9 DHES — a generic formula might not prevent the silent onslaught of osteoporosis,it said. Duramedcharges that Wyeth is simplystalling competition for an SERVICEana Providing Eyewear To The e Area. NOW LOCALLY OWNED Delivering Quality Value And Service. i OFTEN COPIED BUT NOT EQUALED WEST VALLEY Bae” 800-675-0602 ing here like we did in 1993 — yet,” said a hotel workernearthis hamlet a few miles North ofSt. Louis, referring to the devastating 1993 deluge. “We're keeping our fingers crossed.” Nearby towns such as Winfield, St. Peters, and St. Charles were inundated with floodwaters from the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers where they join north of St. Louis. Sandbags were jammed between hillcrests, trying to keep back the water from rain-swollen streamsandtributaries. A motorboat was parked at a farmhouse isolated in a flooded field, and sippi down2 feet fromits 42-foot crest and the Missouri down half a most “It will be a while until we see the results of this latest rain crops that farmers have managed to plant are pale and foot fromits 40-foot peak rotting. We'repredicting the Mississippi Several bridges and highways that lie between the tworivers are either flooded out or restricted to a single lane by the waters, and day with a second crest Monday or Tuesday,” U.S. ArmyCorps of telephone poles are half-sub- d. Across the Mississippi in inois, a “Welcometo Aln” sign is all but obscured by the floodwaters Butone hopefulsign is that river levels have receded from last weekend's peaks, with the Missis- will start back up again on SaturEngineers spokesman Ken Kruchowski said. “We're not predicting it as high, but westill have anotherbatch of rains to come, so it depends on h nuch we get and where More rain is forecast for the Midwest through Sunday with a dry spell Monday to Wednesday. PUBLIC AUCTION Inventory obtained from U.S. Government auctions plus other consignments and estates which constitutes the majority of merchandise offered at is auction HAND WOVEN PERSIAN AND ORIENTAL RUGS JEWELRY All pieces certified Rolex watches, hundreds of 44K Gold tings and bracelets, large solitaire Diamond All pieces certified Hundredsoffine hand-knotted rugs. ranging rom 2a Wot 1042518 fst Rugs pon Iran, Turkey, China, India, Russia plus manyinvestment quality silk pieces such as Tabriz, Kashmire Kashans, Isphahans and more. (Some pieces up to 20 Ct. in total weight). manymore la OTHER LIQUIDATIONS ‘American and EuropeanBronze sculptures, French fant, Oriental furniture including Mother of Pearl screens, TV cabinels, nestle tables and more. Framed Lthographs by Chagal, lcato, Scott, etc. A tare collection of =e Carvings, clock sets, Htalia japestries, Cloisonne, Titany style Jamps,porcelain, fine jade carv is, and more. ONE-DAY. EVENT—SUNDAY,. MAY 28TH a itFree Sk Bravoblade pu Auction at: Murray Arts Centre-Utahi won South State Street - 801-266-5066 Preview at 12 Noon Auction begins at 1 p.m SA Auctioneers info: 800-436-8289 BRICKYARD 487-7300 Participating Offices “We don’t have the people stay- outside scientists who advise it haveclassified the delta estrogen as an impurity from the horse urine, said Duramed executive Thomas Arington. Duramed’s drugis synthetic, so each componentis carefully controlled. SIXTY MINUTE EYEWEAR John M. Brand, OD. George Croft, O.D. MAIN OFFICE & LAB REUTER NEWS SERVICE OLD MONROE, Mo. — Residents of flood-ravaged river towns were “keeping our fingers crossed” that rain forecastfor the next week will not send another tide of water lapping into their homes andbusinesses. $850 million drug. The FDA and isn't completely understood, the NO-LINE BIFOCALS Floodwaters Receding But More Rain Coming FDA is facinga battle overits recipe for a generic. ms: cash, check, Visa, Matercard, American Express, Discover The selend merchancles wes purchased om U.S. government auctionsfor the purpose ofresale and are the private property of ASA Auctioneers No other discounts apply. Expires 6/15/95 AUTHORIZED DEALER XYGEN IN-LINE SKATES CEMETERY VASES STANDS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST 99 All Purpose Plant Food 5 LB BOX - or - |™*No Clog 2 ww REGULARLY $1299 OF PQLAL OR nis LESSER VALLE as ee 1S), FECTIVE PLANT Poo Herbs 4-PACKS REGULAR PRICE £5.99 _ May27th “Mizu NURSERY & GIFTS HOURS INS LT LAKE 105 SUNDAY 1220 EAST 7800 SOUTH & T 3300 SOUTH “wows” aun 2184 ESND LOCATION PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU JUNE 4, 1995 Loads of Safety Gear and Hockey Equipment too! 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