White Plains, New York — November 11, 2013 — Americans can find average savings of 76% on brand name medications made domestically but purchased from verified international online pharmacies rather than local U.S. pharmacies, according to a new analysis from PharmacyChecker.com. The savings, found from a basket of 15 popular brand name medications, ranged from 86% (Cymbalta) to 61% (Urocit-K). Three of the drugs – Singulair, Pulmicort, and Urocit-K – are available as generics in the U.S., but their brand name prices abroad are still lower than the generic prices in the U.S.
The data was collected over fifteen weeks and published as a weekly series entitled American Made; Cheaper Abroad and can be found on PharmacyChecker's blog.
Tod Cooperman, MD, president of PharmacyChecker.com, said, "It is a ridiculous situation, but the only way many Americans can get affordable prices on brand-name American drugs is to buy them outside the country. This cuts about 76% off the cost." Fifty million Americans did not fill prescriptions due to cost in 2012, including 21% of insured Americans, according to the Commonwealth Fund.
| Average Savings Buying from an International Online Pharmacy for Brand Name Medications Manufactured in America* | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug | Local U.S. Pharmacy Price | Lowest International PharmacyChecker.com Listed Price | Percent Savings | ||||||||
| Acuvail 0.45% - 30 vials+ | $249 | $65 | 74% | ||||||||
| Cardura XL 4 mg - 90 pills | $285 | $67 | 76% | ||||||||
| Crestor 40 mg - 90 pills+ | $680 | $140 | 79% | ||||||||
| Cymbalta 60 mg - 90 pills+ | $879 | $116 | 87% | ||||||||
| Invega 6 mg - 90 pills | $1,932 | $580 | 70% | ||||||||
| Janumet 50/500 mg - 180 pills+ | $1,050 | $172 | 84% | ||||||||
| Lotemax 0.5% - 5 ml | $188 | $30 | 84% | ||||||||
| Lumigan 0.03% - 2.5 ml | $114 | $22 | 81% | ||||||||
| Pataday 0.2% - 2.5 ml | $161 | $34 | 79% | ||||||||
| Pulmicort 0.25 mg/2ml - 60 respules | $698 | $117 | 83% | ||||||||
| Restasis 0.05% - 60 Vials | $394 | $116 | 71% | ||||||||
| Singulair Granules 4 mg – 90 pills+ | $732 | $176 | 76% | ||||||||
| Strattera 25 mg - 90 caps+ | $828 | $311 | 63% | ||||||||
| Tarceva 100 mg - 30 pills | $6,531 | $1,949 | 70% | ||||||||
| Urocit-K 10 meq – 90 pills++ | $146 | $57 | 61% | ||||||||
| Average Savings | 76% | ||||||||||
| * Includes manufacturing in Puerto Rico, Local U.S. Pharmacy Prices found at a New York City Rite-Aid
+price calculated from 84 pills. ++price calculated from 100 pills. |
|||||||||||
Gabriel Levitt, vice president of PharmacyChecker.com, stated, "We looked only at brand name medications manufactured in the U.S. in this study, not because they're any safer than those made elsewhere, but because we found it so compelling that the same drugs made here are about 76% less expensive abroad."
Federal law prohibits personal drug importation under most circumstances, but the practice is generally permitted and individuals are not prosecuted. (See http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2013/02/01/is-it-safe-to-use-an-overseas-pharmacy/).
PharmacyChecker.com was founded by Tod Cooperman, M.D. in 2002 to help consumers safely save money on medication by identifying the lowest drug prices from reputable online pharmacies. PharmacyChecker.com independently checks the credentials of online pharmacies and pharmacy discount cards and provides free and easy online comparisons of drug prices.
For more information, contact Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com at 718-387-4526 or gabriel.levitt@pharmacychecker.com.
