White Plains, New York – July 12th, 2022 – For its July 2022 drug price report, PharmacyChecker conducted a price and country of origin analysis of 30 inhalers listed by the U.S. FDA as “Drug Treatments for Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease that Do Not Use Chlorofluorocarbons.” Of the 27 brand inhalers accessible at accredited online pharmacies, international mail order prices are 78.37% lower than average U.S. pharmacy retail prices. Seventy-seven percent of brand inhalers sold in the United States are manufactured outside the United States. Ten out of the 30 inhalers (33%) have generic availability on U.S. pharmacy shelves, which did not always equate to significant consumer savings.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 25 million Americans suffer from asthma, and as many as 16 million suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). About three in ten (29%) American adults do not take their medicines as prescribed due to high costs. PharmacyChecker data shows that treating asthma and COPD can be made more affordable through accredited international online pharmacies, which deliver inhalers to American residents for less than a fourth of U.S. pharmacy prices.
“Lack of access to affordable asthma treatments is landing American kids in the hospital. It doesn’t have to be this way,” said Gabriel Levitt, president of PharmacyChecker. “Advocating lower drug prices in America is critical, but equally important is empowering patients, and parents of kids with asthma, to help themselves now. Lower-cost and reliable international pharmacies can literally save lives.”
Asmanex HFA (mometasone furoate) is a maintenance inhaler for people ages five and older for which there is no generic available in the United States. The brand Asmanex inhaler sold in the U.S. is made in Singapore, formulated in the UK, and its actuator is manufactured in Germany. Asmanex HFA can be ordered from an international online pharmacy for 64.31% lower than the U.S. price. Considering the U.S. version’s manufacturing supply chain, patients who opt for international mail order would likely receive the same inhaler sold in the U.S. – the only differences being the label and cost.
The average retail price of a Symbicort (budesonide & formoterol fumarate) inhaler in the U.S. is around $449. A generic is available, but the price is still beyond reach for many patients at $377. With a GoodRx discount coupon, the price is still $259 per inhaler. Patients and caregivers that compare inhaler prices on PharmacyChecker.com will find prices as low as $27.99 for the generic, which is available at an Indian pharmacy accredited by PharmacyChecker. Should a patient prefer the brand, the price is $43.20 (shipping included) from an accredited pharmacy in New Zealand. The savings on the brand amount to 90.38% according to the PharmacyChecker report. Symbicort sold in U.S. pharmacies is manufactured in France.
Online pharmacies accredited through the PharmacyChecker Verification Program are monitored for compliance with high pharmacy practice standards. The PharmacyChecker Verification Program is led by Jeffrey Poirier, RPh, a licensed pharmacist in New Hampshire that has decades of regulatory experience in developing and guiding the implementation of improvement strategies in large multi-faceted healthcare organizations. Pharmacies accredited through PharmacyChecker Verification Program are located in Canada, Australia, India, Mauritius, New Zealand, Turkey, the UK, and the United States.
Established in 2003, in addition to online pharmacy verification and price comparisons, PharmacyChecker frequently analyzes international drug prices and the manufacturing origin of prescription drugs sold in the United States. PharmacyChecker’s mission is to provide patients and their caregivers with the pharmacy safety and savings information necessary to make informed decisions regarding their prescription drug therapies.
About PharmacyChecker
PharmacyChecker, based in New York, is the only independent company that verifies the credentials of international mail order pharmacies, publishing a list of accredited online pharmacies and comparisons of their drug prices. For more information, visit www.pharmacychecker.com.
Press Contact: Lucia Mueller, Director of Communications lucia.mueller@pharmacychecker.com
