As Congress is looking into the Vytorin/Zetia/Zocor debacle, perhaps they should also look into how generics, that are supposed to "save us money" are priced.
I couldn't help but notice that in Senator Grassley's letter to Schering-Plough and Merck he compared the brand name price for Vytorin with generic Zocor (simvastatin) . . . at Wal-Mart:
"At a Wal-Mart pharmacy in Iowa City, generic simvastatin costs $54.54 for a month’s supply while Vytorin costs $112.46. I am confident that the citizens of Iowa would have appreciated knowing that a cheaper drug works just as well. Instead, Iowans and other Americans paid out their hardearned dollars unnecessarily for almost two years, while waiting for Schering-Plough and Merck to announce the scientific results of ENHANCE."
Had he compared with Costco his arguments would have taken on a ten-fold stronger concern:
Generic Zocor (40mg #90)
$11.66 (Costco)
$164.99 (CVS, Houston)
$180.99 (CVS, L.A.)
$194.19 (Walgreens, Houston)
$221.89 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$194.19 (Walgreens, L.A.)
How can they do this?, you may ask.
Because they can!
But Zocor is not the only drug, look at these amazing numbers, charged to you by your friendly pharmacist:
Metformin (500mg #180)
$14.08 (Costco)
$64.59 (CVS, Houston)
$27.99 (CVS, L.A.)
$56.89 (Walgreens, Houston
$38.99 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$62.89 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Atenolol (50mg #90)
$5.12 (Costco)
$13.49 (CVS, Houston)
$25.79 (CVS, L.A.)
$20.89 (Walgreens, Houston)
$23.89 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$20.89 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Methacarbomol (750mg #90)
$18.99 (Costco)
$46.89 (CVS, Houston)
$53.99 (CVS, L.A.)
$49.49 (Walgreens, Houston)
$53.99 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$56.99 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Lisinopril (10 mg #90)
$10.86 (Costco)
$44.39 (CVS, Houston)
$61.59 (CVS L.A.)
$41.89 (Walgreens, Houston)
$47.89 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$41.89 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Generic Prozac (20mg #90)
$10.96 (Costco)
$43.99 (CVS, Houston)
$52.59 (CVS, L.A.)
$49.89 (Walgreens, Houston)
$58.19 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$49.89 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Generic BactrimDS (#20)
$7.53 (Costco)
$11.19 (CVS, Houston)
$13.29 (CVS, L.A.)
$16.99 (Walgreens, Houston)
$17.99 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$19.99 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Generic Augmentin (875mg #20)
$31.10 (Costco)
$65.59 (CVS, Houston)
$75.59 (CVS, L.A.)
$69.99 (Walgreens, Houston)
$84.99 (Walgreens, N.Y.)
$89.99 (Walgreens, L.A.)
Peter,
I like the direction you're taking this blog since your brief sabbatical.
Power to the people!
PharmaFraud
Posted by: PharmaFraud | January 25, 2008 at 11:49 PM
amazing post about Vytorin is a scandal, but generic Zocor pricing is a scam! thanks for sharing!!
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