Susan, I was on brand name Coumadin for 37+ years because doctors would not permit me to switch because THEY were comfortable with the brand name. I talked with several pharmacists, as well as the FDA and was told that the brand and generic were identical in active ingredients. Even the current owner (Bristol, Myers, Squibb I think) told me the same thing. I've seen a report where Dupont, who owned the drug until a couple years ago, paid $44,000,000 to settle a lawsuite over their claims that warfarin was inferior to Coumadin. I finally found a younger Cardiologist who has not yet become set in his ways two years ago and made the switch to warfarin (Barr Lab), 5 mg daily. I have had NO problems with the switch except my wallet is fatter. As my doc told me, if it didn't work, I could always go back to Coumadin.
This drug is a PRIME example of price extortion by big Pharma. I know that I took this drug 40 years ago and it was probably on the market for 10/20 years before I began taking it. Any and ALL so called R&D expense has been recovered over and over. There is NO reason that this drug should continue to demand such a premium price. MY daddy always told me "Pigs get fat, but Hogs get slaughtered". The pharmaceutical companies are finally being drug to slaughter "a kickin" and "a squealin"
Hi everyone (or anyone!)! In Feb 1999 I had AVR due to a congenital bicuspid aortic valve. I have been on coumadin ever since. With changes in insurance and the push for generic drugs, it has gone from costing around $10 a month (ater deductible) to a co-pay of $50. Warfarin is only a fraction of that. I have not heard good things about warfarin (ie hard to regulate, etc.), but am tempted to give it a try because the Coumadin is now highway robbery. Any thoughts on what I should look out for? Has anyone made this change and what were the results? I've never had problems with coumadin with rare cases of INR getting out of line. Thanks for any advice, experience or thoughts. 
