A List of Cheap Generic Drug Deals

[amyschiff]

Today on Consumerist there is an article about 11 deals on generic drugs. They basically just make a list of all the places that offer generics at a discount. I think it's worth checking out if you get a lot of prescriptions.

The free antibiotics at Meijer is great... it has come in handy many times already.

[lucille]

Another thing to do with a prescription is to find out if it has a generic version before you go get it. If you google the brand name the generic name usually pops up beside it in the search results. Then you can see if it is on any of the cheap generics lists or the price difference between brand and generic.
My old insurance initially refused to pay for Mobic. So it was around $70 out of pocket. Nobody mentioned there was a generic. When I found out there was I asked the doctor to approve the generic. Then it was about $10 a month after they convinced my insurance to pay for it. I found it on the Target $4 generics list so it was then $4. My new insurance pays a percentage of retail pharmacy so it ends up being $1 a month.
So all of this ended up saving $69 a month simply by looking it up and asking for cheaper alternatives.

[amyschiff]

Originally Posted by lucille

Another thing to do with a prescription is to find out if it has a generic version before you go get it.

Very true. CVS used to ask us if we wanted generic when we went to fill the Rx, but I don't know if they do that anymore.

[lucille]

Originally Posted by amyschiff

Very true. CVS used to ask us if we wanted generic when we went to fill the Rx, but I don't know if they do that anymore.

The doctor never offered it. Insurance never suggested it when they initially rejected paying for it and the pharmacy (Walgreens) never told me they had a generic. I have to wonder how many people are paying way more than they need to for something.

[jayfromfree411]

Not to burst anyone's bubble here, but generics are NOT the same thing as the name brand medication. Legally, they don't have to go through the same rigorous testing as the name-brands, and they don't have to prove their claims as much. Patients on generics often (not always) go through a lot of difficulty because suddenly their medications aren't as effective as they'd been when they used name brands. This is actually a big issue in the medical field, and it's unethical that generics can pass off inferior drugs as equivalent to the real stuff.

[LudditeAndroid]

Originally Posted by jayfromfree411

Not to burst anyone's bubble here, but generics are NOT the same thing as the name brand medication. Legally, they don't have to go through the same rigorous testing as the name-brands, and they don't have to prove their claims as much. Patients on generics often (not always) go through a lot of difficulty because suddenly their medications aren't as effective as they'd been when they used name brands. This is actually a big issue in the medical field, and it's unethical that generics can pass off inferior drugs as equivalent to the real stuff.

Generic prescription medications in the U.S. are legally required to have at least a AB bioequivalence ratings. The drug store I work at stocks mostly generics with AA ratings. The only time brand loyalty is really an issue (besides psychosomatic issues, dye allergies, or someone insisting on the brand because it has higher street resale value) is for drugs with a narrow therapeutic range (i.e., warfarin and levothyroxine). In that case the patient should stick with whatever manufacturer they started with (meaning if they start with the brand name they should stay on it, but if they start with the generic they should stay on it and stick with the same generic manufacturer if possible). Of course, even with those drugs, the patient can switch manufacturers if they need to try a new dose.

By the way, Jay, I'd be interested to know what factual knowlege you base your "bursting of our bubble" on? Are you a doctor? A pharmacist? Do you review ANDA paperwork for the FDA?

[lucille]

Originally Posted by jayfromfree411

Not to burst anyone's bubble here, but generics are NOT the same thing as the name brand medication. Legally, they don't have to go through the same rigorous testing as the name-brands, and they don't have to prove their claims as much. Patients on generics often (not always) go through a lot of difficulty because suddenly their medications aren't as effective as they'd been when they used name brands. This is actually a big issue in the medical field, and it's unethical that generics can pass off inferior drugs as equivalent to the real stuff.

I have to call nonsense too. The only one at least in my experience that generic didn't work as well was Synthroid. But that drug class has a well documented existence of this, from what I have read it has more to do with the micro-doses. But there are also people who do better on levo than a brand name thyroid drug.

Some of the brand to generic switches actually worked better than the brand for me. I was using a brand nasal spray and they switched me to the generic. The generic didn't have the nasty fragrance in it that the brand did. Both worked the same but the cheaper one didn't make me wretch for five minutes after using it.

[lucille]

Another option for certain conditions is to look at some supplements and vitamins. In some cases they can help above what a prescription is doing. In some they can replace a prescription drug. But there is a huge caveat on this. You need to find some actual proof the item actually works, you really have to know how to research to tell what studies are bogus and what ones are reliable. I was able to swap from a bunch of expensive prescriptions for allergies and asthma to two OTC and a supplement that also don't have the side effects. The problem is that there are so many snake oil salesmen out there peddling supplements it is hard to figure out what is going to work and what is hype and scam.