In one U.S. metropolitan area, the price for a combination of three generic heart-failure drugs differed almost 40-fold.
Generic drugs generally cost less than the brand-name preparations. For individuals taking many medications, such as patients with heart failure, generic drugs could provide substantial savings. Even for generics, however, prices may differ by pharmacy. This study focused on the retail prices of generic drugs typically used to treat heart failure in the St. Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area.
The investigators called 175 retail pharmacies in 55 zip codes for the prices of high and low doses of generic carvedilol, lisinopril, and digoxin for patients without health insurance (22 independent stores; 153 chain-owned). The median price for a 90-day supply of high-dose therapy (lisinopril 40 mg daily, carvedilol 25 mg twice daily, and digoxin 0.2…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardBristol Myers Squibb; CPC Clinical Research
Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; American College of Cardiology Self-Assessment Program (SAP)
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican College of Cardiology (Chair, Innovations Committee)
DisclosuresConsultant/Advisory BoardBristol Myers Squibb; CPC Clinical Research
Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; American College of Cardiology Self-Assessment Program (SAP)
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican College of Cardiology (Chair, Innovations Committee)