"The FDA's speedy approval of generic manufacturers for Crestor ...

... will likely have a beneficial impact on pricing for plan sponsors. In the long term, we expect discounts in the range of 80% or more for these generic products. And since we have multiple manufacturers competing for market share right out of the gate, we're likely to see the needle move more quickly on those discounts. All told, this is promising news for plan sponsors. With most brand patent expirations, the plan sponsor can actually incur an increase in net plan cost for a period of time, since the loss of the member's brand copay exceeds the incremental value of the generic discount. In the case of Crestor, the discounts will likely increase more quickly, so that phenomenon will hopefully be mitigated."

— Josh Golden, area senior VP for Solid Benefit Guidance, told AIS's Drug Benefit News.