Losartan generic availability
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Generic Losartan Availability and Market Impact
Generic Losartan Market Entry and Policy Responses
Losartan was the first angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) to become available as a generic, leading to a variety of policy responses across Europe to encourage its use over more expensive, single-sourced ARBs. Countries that implemented strong demand-side measures, such as delisting single-sourced ARBs or increasing patient co-payments for non-generic options, saw a significant increase in losartan utilization. For example, Denmark achieved over 90% losartan use among ARBs after such measures, while countries with no specific policies saw little to no increase in generic losartan use. This demonstrates that policy interventions are crucial to maximizing the cost-saving potential of generic losartan availability 145.
Price Reductions and Cost Efficiency
The introduction of generic losartan led to substantial price reductions, with some regions experiencing a decline in expenditure per defined daily dose (DDD) of losartan by up to 78%. This contributed to a slower growth in total ARB expenditure, even as overall utilization increased. The efficiency gains were most pronounced in countries that combined the lifting of prescribing restrictions with other supportive measures, further encouraging the switch to generics 14.
Pharmaceutical Equivalence and Quality of Generic Losartan
Studies assessing the pharmaceutical quality of generic losartan tablets have generally found that most generic brands meet the required standards for drug content, dissolution, and impurity levels, making them suitable substitutes for the original brand. In Yemen, all tested generic brands of losartan potassium tablets were found to be pharmaceutically equivalent to the reference brand, with similar dissolution profiles and drug content within acceptable ranges . However, another study found that some generic losartan products had slightly lower active ingredient content than required, though impurity levels remained within safe limits. This suggests that while most generics are equivalent, occasional quality variations may occur and should be monitored, especially for drugs intended for long-term use .
Implications for Healthcare Systems
The availability of generic losartan has enabled significant cost savings and improved prescribing efficiency in countries that actively promoted its use. The experience across Europe highlights the importance of coordinated policy measures—such as education, economic incentives, and enforcement—to ensure that the benefits of generic availability are fully realized. These strategies not only reduce healthcare costs but also maintain access to effective hypertension treatments 145.
Conclusion
Generic losartan is widely available and, when supported by appropriate policy measures, can lead to substantial healthcare savings and increased utilization. Most generic formulations are pharmaceutically equivalent to the original brand, though ongoing quality monitoring is important. The European experience underscores the value of proactive demand-side strategies to maximize the benefits of generic drug availability.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic