Savings Over 70% Are Easily Found with Free, Online Resources
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — NOVEMBER 13TH, 2008 — With one-quarter of Americans paying out-of-pocket to fill prescriptions, and with those ranks likely to grow in coming months, PharmacyChecker.com published "Safe Strategies for Drug Savings" today on its site at www.pharmacychecker.com/strategies_for_drug_savings. By shopping online at verified pharmacies in the U.S., Canada, and other countries as well, PharmacyChecker shows that Americans can save over 72% on brand name medications and a similar amount on generic drugs.
The free, five-page report shows that Lipitor (20mg), for example, which costs $451 for a three-month supply at a regular U.S. pharmacy, is available for as low as $124 at a non-U.S. online pharmacy found on PharmacyChecker.com — a savings of 73%. Consumers who prefer to buy from U.S. pharmacies can find this drug from a PharmacyChecker-verified U.S. online pharmacy for $369, a discount of 17%.
The report notes that generic drug programs by large retailers such as Wal-mart and Target are often a great option for saving on some generic drugs, as many are available for just $4 for a one-month supply and $10 for a three-month supply. But many generics are not covered in these programs and the best prices on these products are found at wholesale pharmacies operating online. For example, one hundred pills of simvastatin (40mg), the generic version of the cholesterol-reducer Zocor, costs $210 at a traditional pharmacy, $49.54 at a Wal-mart, but only $10.44 at a wholesale pharmacy found on PharmacyChecker.com – a 95% savings.
Five key factors are cited in the report as contributing to the current availability of safe, lower cost drug options for all Americans: 1) lower prices on brand name drugs in Canada and other countries, 2) a highly competitive pharmacy market for generic drugs in the U.S., 3) U.S. policy that does not stop individuals from importing drugs for personal use, 4) ease of finding and comparing drug prices on the Internet, and 5) independent pharmacy verifiers like PharmacyChecker.com that identify licensed and legitimate pharmacies. The report also discusses government and pharmaceutical-sponsored programs that provide savings based on qualifying need or membership fees.
"The bottom line is that any American with access to the Internet can easily cut his or her drug costs by half or more using safe and simple strategies," said Dr. Tod Cooperman, MD, president of PharmacyChecker.com.
The report includes tables showing savings examples for seventeen popular brand name and generic drugs.
PharmacyChecker.com operates the largest independent verification service of U.S. and foreign online pharmacies. Its verifications are used by Google adWords, Yahoo Search Marketing, and Microsoft adCenter to qualify online pharmacy advertisers, providing visitors a safer shopping experience. In addition, it offers one of the largest, free, drug price comparison websites.
PharmacyChecker.com is a privately held company based in New York. It has no ownership in or from companies that sell or distribute pharmacy products. The company also operates www.MedicareDrugPlans.com where seniors can compare, rate, and review Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.
