5 Generic Products That Are Just As Good

[wombat2u2004]

That's a conservative figure too.

My doc once wrote a script for me - a daily injectable med like Boniva that is used for osteoporisis. I never fill a script without first calling several pharmacies to see who is cheaper. In this case it didn't matter, because they all were right at $1000 per month! I checked some Canadian pharmacies, and most didn't carry it, but one did at around $700 per month. Guess you know that I never got the script filled!

Geez........not a good idea to get ill in the States.

[Karen]

Geez........not a good idea to get ill in the States.

Those of us who have health insurance generally get away with just paying whatever the "co-pay" is, not the full price. I checked one month, and there was a $700+ difference between what I paid in copays for my medication, and what I would pay without insurance.

And yes, I get generics whenever they are available. Laura, if you have a pharmacist that you trust, he or she may be able to find out, by calling the manufacturer's reps, what the difference is between Flo-nase and the generic. I - with all my allergies - have always used the generic with no trouble. But explain to the pharmacist that it caused an anaphlactic type reaction, so finding the answer is very important.

I have a pharmacist that I really trust - if the other one is on duty, I'll wait to ask my question until the good one is in.

[wombat2u2004]

Those of us who have health insurance generally get away with just paying whatever the "co-pay" is, not the full price. I checked one month, and there was a $700+ difference between what I paid in copays for my medication, and what I would pay without insurance.

But you're paying for it one way or another.....yes ???
What's the difference between a person who pays for health insurance and gets discounted meds to someone who can't afford health insurance and has to pay full price for meds ????

[pomtzu]

I am on Medicare, but do not have prescription coverage with them since that add-on is very expensive. With the few/next to none prescriptions that I take, it would be very cost inefficient for me. I have a little bit of a discount on drugs with my AARP membership, and I comparison shop, and most of the time fall into the 3 month/$10 deal that a lot of pharmacies offer.
That one for $1000 certainly wasn't the norm, and I was using that as an extreme example of drug charges. As it is, I get the Boniva quarterly I.V. (same thing as the Reclast once a year with less side effects), and since it has to be given by a doctor at an infusion center, then Medicare pays it since it is considered a treatment/procedure, and not just a prescription I can pick up at the pharmacy. That runs almost $1000 per treatment, but I never have to pay anything with Medicare and supplemental insurance.

[snakemama]

I STRONGLY disagree with the statement that prescription drugs are just as good as name brand. I was taking Lamictal for some time, I got a generic refill to save some money, and within 48 hours I was covered in hives from the soles of my feet up to my waist and arms. It was AWFUL. My doctor said afterward that he sees reactions like that frequently when people switch to generic lamictal.

[smokey the elder]

I'll put my pharma industry hat on for a minute...

Generics have to have the same active ingredient, but all the other stuff that makes a pill a pill are up for grabs. They have to be non-toxic, but allergic reactions do exist.

My observation is, the more potent the drug is (i.e. the lower the dose), OR the narrower the "window" of efficacy, the more likely that other other ingredients will affect what is called "bioavailability", or how the drug is actually used by the body. Synthroid is a classic example: it is very potent (25-200 micrograms; basically a speck) for dose. Also, just a little too much or too little can cause problems.

Also, did you know that the dose can vary by 10%? So, say you're on 100 micrograms of Synthroid. The range can be 90-110 mics. I think you can see the problem here.

/pharma hat off

[wombat2u2004]

I'll put my pharma industry hat on for a minute...

[Karen]

But you're paying for it one way or another.....yes ???
What's the difference between a person who pays for health insurance and gets discounted meds to someone who can't afford health insurance and has to pay full price for meds ????

That's easy - an simple accident or unexpected illness can bankrupt the person without health insurance. Health insurance means doctor visits, normal care and even emergency care are all covered by a small co-pay.

[wombat2u2004]

That's easy - an simple accident or unexpected illness can bankrupt the person without health insurance. Health insurance means doctor visits, normal care and even emergency care are all covered by a small co-pay.

I dunno Karen.
It all seems to be a bit upside down to me, and benefits those who can afford to pay.