Get the latest updates on this drug from the GoodRx medical team
Every year, insurance plans update the list of drugs that they cover, also known as their formulary. That means that some drugs covered this year won’t be covered next year. (In fact, more and more drugs are excluded from formularies each year.) And drugs that are new to the market might be covered soon. If you rely on health insurance to pay for your medications, now’s a good time to pay attention. See More
In July 2015, Praluent (alirocumab) was approved by the FDA as the first drug in a new class known as PCSK9 inhibitors. It was joined by Repatha (evolocumab), which received approval on August 27, 2015. These new injectable medications are the first approvals in a long time that may be as effective as statins—or better—at lowering cholesterol.
For now, Praluent is only approved for use in two types of people with high cholesterol. See More
Update August 2015: Praluent (alirocumab) and Repatha (evolocumab) have both been approved by the FDA. See more information here.
If you have high cholesterol you likely take a statin medication (atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), Crestor) to help you manage it. Statins have been the mainstay of treatment for high cholesterol since their initial approval in the late 1980s—and recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) shows that approximately 22% of Americans 45 years of age and older now take a statin. See More
