Accredited International Pharmacies Offer Lifeline to Consumers With 72% Off Brand Name Drugs
White Plains, NY – October 16th, 2019
The prescription drug savings Americans find online from licensed pharmacies in other countries closely parallels recent House Ways and Means Committee report findings, according to a new analysis by PharmacyChecker.com. The Committee’s report found that average prices on a basket of 79 brand name drugs were 75% lower among 11 other countries than in the United States. According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, those 79 drugs accounted for almost 60 percent of total Medicare Part D spending. PharmacyChecker compared prices for 34 of the 79 products, which were medications that were both sold by international mail-order pharmacies and had average U.S. retail pharmacy price available on the website, GoodRx. The average potential savings was 72%. When comparing prices among Canadian pharmacies, the average potential savings was 63%.
The Committee report relied on ex-factory prices charged to wholesalers, while PharmacyChecker identified retail prices of international online pharmacies and U.S local pharmacies. All international online pharmacies for which prices were collected are vetted for proper licensure, prescription requirements, and other online pharmacy safety standards through the PharmacyChecker Verification Program.
According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, despite the federal prohibitions, about 8% of Americans say they have imported a prescription drug because of cost. As shown in peer-reviewed research and testing of drugs ordered online, medicines for personal import ordered from accredited international online pharmacies are shown to be as safe as those bought in U.S. pharmacies. A recent report by Roger Bate, PhD, published by the American Enterprise Institute, discusses that research, and the safety and policy issues related to importation and the Internet.
“We applaud the House Ways and Means Committee for shining a bright light on the fact that ex-factory prescription drugs are priced far lower in other high-income countries,” stated Gabriel Levitt, president of PharmacyChecker. “As the Committee meets tomorrow to discuss lowering drug prices, Republicans and Democrats should recognize that millions of Americans simply can’t wait for Congress to act. As our analysis shows, those lower drug prices are accessible now at the retail level from accredited international online pharmacies.”
Consumer Savings at International Online Pharmacies vs. U.S. Retail Pharmacies |
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| Drug Name | Strength | Quantity | Average US Retail Price | Lowest Int'l Online Pharmacy Price | Lowest Canadian Pharmacy Price | Potential Average Savings: International vs. US |
| Advair Diskus | 250/50 mcg | 1 inhaler | $414.45 | $39.99 | $129.99 | 90% |
| Afinitor | 10mg | 30 pills | $19,793.47 | $3,399.99 | $5,839.99 | 83% |
| Amitiza | 24 mcg | 28 pills | $229.69 | $122.95 | N/A | 46% |
| Atripla | 600/200/300 mg | 30 pills | $3,391.38 | $1,309.95 | $1,419.99 | 61% |
| Brilinta | 90 mg | 14 pills | $107.46 | $34.99 | $139.99 | 67% |
| Daklinza | 60 mg | 28 pills | $21,470.00 | $10,924.99 | N/A | 49% |
| Effient | 10 mg | 28 pills | $590.20 | $73.99 | $78.99 | 87% |
| Eliquis | 5 mg | 60 pills | $556.15 | $73.89 | $138.48 | 87% |
| Genvoya | 150/150/200/10 mg | 30 pills | $3,540.60 | $1,338.90 | $1,698.35 | 62% |
| Gilenya | 0.5 mg | 28 pills | $8,459.33 | $2,650.00 | $2,799.99 | 69% |
| Harvoni | 90/400 mg | 28 pills | $32,570.70 | $16,510.00 | $25,999.00 | 49% |
| Invokana | 300 mg | 30 pills | $614.04 | $103.99 | $119.98 | 83% |
| Isentress | 400 mg | 60 pills | $1,835.92 | $266.99 | $1,024.65 | 85% |
| Janumet | 50/1000 mg | 30 pills | $289.00 | $31.99 | $134.99 | 89% |
| Januvia | 100 mg | 28 pills | $565.70 | $43.99 | $128.98 | 92% |
| Multaq | 400 mg | 30 pills | $814.38 | $110.00 | $169.99 | 86% |
| Onglyza | 5 mg | 28 pills | $379.34 | $51.99 | $119.99 | 86% |
| Pradaxa | 150 mg | 60 pills | $417.97 | $73.35 | $141.98 | 82% |
| Prezista | 600 mg | 60 pills | $881.70 | $481.99 | $1,230.67 | 45% |
| Ranexa | 500 mg | 60 pills | $365.22 | $134.99 | N/A | 63% |
| Reyataz | 300 mg | 60 pills | $1,839.41 | $704.99 | $799.99 | 62% |
| Sensipar | 30 mg | 28 pills | $993.04 | $222.99 | $429.11 | 78% |
| Sovaldi | 400 mg | 28 pills | $31,215.62 | $21,121.99 | $22,663.50 | 32% |
| Sprycel | 50 mg | 60 pills | $16,313.64 | $3,289.99 | $5,646.61 | 80% |
| Stribild | 150/150/200/300 mg | 30 pills | $3,727.69 | $1,210.00 | $1,811.73 | 68% |
| Tasigna | 200 mg | 112 pills | $15,137.21 | $3,599.99 | $5,159.98 | 76% |
| Tivicay | 50 mg | 30 pills | $2,108.97 | $713.74 | $713.74 | 66% |
| Tradjenta | 5 mg | 28 pills | $377.77 | $87.33 | $104.98 | 77% |
| Triumeq | 600/50/300 mg | 30 pills | $3,456.17 | $1,258.88 | $1,618.66 | 64% |
| Uloric | 80 mg | 84 pills | $1,173.70 | $381.15 | $66.98 | 68% |
| Xarelto | 20 mg | 28 pills | $553.65 | $52.89 | $299.98 | 90% |
| Xeljanz | 5 mg | 56 pills | $4,370.14 | $739.99 | $1,813.34 | 83% |
| Xifaxan | 550 mg | 12 pills | $520.12 | $163.74 | $163.74 | 69% |
| Zytiga | 250 mg | 120 pills | $12,498.10 | $3,811.50 | $3,999.98 | 70% |
| Average Savings: 72% | ||||||
Price data collected October 2019. U.S. prices based on the “average retail price” listed on GoodRx.com; Canadian and other international online pharmacy prices are the lowest prices listed on PharmacyChecker.com from licensed pharmacies that sell to Americans and are accredited in the PharmacyChecker Verification Program.
Methodology
To pick a drug strength and quantity, researchers recorded the first result in a search on www.pharmacychecker.com. GoodRx data was used to identify average U.S. sales prices. PharmacyChecker data was used to identify international online pharmacy prices. International online pharmacy prices are those available in any of the following countries: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, United Kingdom or Turkey. Canadian prices are those found from pharmacies located only in Canada (with no dispensing pharmacies elsewhere).
Contact: Gabriel Levitt, gabriel.levitt@pharmacychecker.com, 718-387-4526.
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About PharmacyChecker
PharmacyChecker is the only independent company that monitors and verifies the credentials of international online pharmacies and publishes price comparisons between those pharmacies and local U.S. pharmacies. It also offers a free discount card for use at local pharmacies in the U.S. PharmacyChecker accreditation and price comparisons have been widely recommended and referenced in the media and by consumer health experts, including in AARP Magazine, the New York Times, the People’s Pharmacy, Yahoo Finance, and others.
