Helping Your Patients Navigate the Roszet Discontinuation

As a prescriber, you may have started receiving calls from patients unable to fill their Roszet (Ezetimibe/Rosuvastatin) prescriptions. The reason is straightforward: Roszet has been permanently discontinued by its manufacturer, Althera Life Sciences. All four formulations are off the market, and no generic combination product exists.

This guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to helping your patients transition smoothly to alternative therapies without interruptions in their cholesterol management.

Current Availability Status

As of 2026, here is the availability picture:

• Brand Roszet: Permanently discontinued. No remaining stock in distribution.
• Generic Ezetimibe/Rosuvastatin combination: Not available. Patent protections extend to approximately 2033.
• Generic Rosuvastatin: Widely available. No supply issues.
• Generic Ezetimibe: Widely available. No supply issues.
• Generic Ezetimibe/Simvastatin (Vytorin generic): Available as an alternative single-tablet option.

Why Patients Can't Find Roszet

Patients may not understand why their medication has disappeared. Here are the key facts to share:

1. The manufacturer stopped production. Althera Life Sciences discontinued all formulations in 2025. This was a business decision, not a safety recall.
2. No generic exists yet. Patent protections prevent other manufacturers from producing a combination Ezetimibe/Rosuvastatin tablet until around 2033.
3. Insurance barriers existed even before discontinuation. Many plans required step therapy or prior authorization, limiting Roszet's market penetration and likely contributing to the manufacturer's decision.
4. The individual ingredients are widely available. This is the key reassurance for patients — generic Rosuvastatin and generic Ezetimibe are both readily accessible and affordable.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Steps

Step 1: Identify Affected Patients

Run a report in your EHR or practice management system to identify all patients with active Roszet prescriptions. Many EHR systems can generate this as a medication-specific patient list. Prioritize outreach to patients who haven't been seen recently and may not know about the discontinuation.

Step 2: Prescribe Equivalent Generic Therapy

The most direct substitution:

• Generic Rosuvastatin — match the dose from the patient's Roszet prescription (5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, or 40 mg)
• Generic Ezetimibe 10 mg — the Ezetimibe component was 10 mg in all Roszet formulations

Both can be taken once daily, with or without food. Send both prescriptions electronically to the patient's preferred pharmacy.

Step 3: Communicate Proactively

Don't wait for patients to call you. Consider:

• A batch patient message through your portal explaining the change
• A brief phone call from your medical assistant or nurse for higher-risk patients
• An updated after-visit summary if the patient has an upcoming appointment

Emphasize that the new medications contain the exact same active ingredients and that the only change is taking two pills instead of one.

Step 4: Address Adherence Concerns

For patients on complex regimens who may struggle with the additional pill, consider:

• Prescribing both medications to be taken at the same time of day
• Recommending a pill organizer
• Exploring whether generic Ezetimibe/Simvastatin (single tablet) might be appropriate as an alternative
• Using adherence monitoring at follow-up visits

Step 5: Schedule Follow-Up Lipid Panels

Order a fasting lipid panel 4-8 weeks after the medication switch to confirm that LDL-C and other lipid parameters remain at target. This is also an opportunity to reassess cardiovascular risk and adjust therapy as needed.

Alternative Medications to Consider

For patients who need a different approach:

• Generic Ezetimibe/Simvastatin: Single-tablet combination, $15-$40/month. Appropriate for patients who tolerate Simvastatin and prefer fewer pills.
• Atorvastatin + Ezetimibe (separate generics): $15-$45/month. Atorvastatin offers high-intensity LDL lowering.
• Higher-dose Rosuvastatin alone: For patients where the incremental LDL reduction from Ezetimibe may not be clinically necessary.
• PCSK9 inhibitors (Repatha, Praluent): For patients at very high cardiovascular risk who cannot reach LDL targets with oral therapy.
• Bempedoic acid (Nexletol) or Bempedoic acid/Ezetimibe (Nexlizet): For statin-intolerant patients who still need additional LDL lowering.

For patient-facing alternative information, direct them to our alternatives to Roszet guide.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

• Update your formulary alerts: Ensure your EHR flags Roszet as discontinued and suggests the generic substitution.
• Create a template note: Draft a quick clinical note template for the medication change to save documentation time.
• Leverage Medfinder for Providers: Use this tool to help patients find pharmacies with stock and the best prices on their new medications.
• Coordinate with pharmacy staff: Notify your commonly used pharmacies about the transition so they can anticipate incoming prescriptions.
• Review for cost savings: Many patients will actually pay less for the generic components than they were paying for brand Roszet. Frame this positively in your communication.

Helping Patients Save Money

The generic switch is an opportunity to reduce patient costs. Share these resources:

• Discount card platforms (GoodRx, SingleCare, RxSaver) for cash-pay patients
• Our provider's guide to helping patients save on Roszet alternatives
• Patient assistance programs (NeedyMeds, RxAssist) for uninsured or underinsured patients

Final Thoughts

The Roszet discontinuation is manageable with proactive patient outreach and straightforward prescription changes. The generic components are therapeutically equivalent, widely available, and more affordable. By taking the five steps outlined above, you can ensure your patients' cholesterol management continues without interruption.

Use Medfinder for Providers to support your patients in finding medications quickly and at the best available prices.