PharmacyChecker research shows patients the opportunity to buy safe, affordable medication online
White Plains, NY — June 5th, 2019 — According to new research by PharmacyChecker, American patients who compare prices online can save on average 90% on patented, brand-name drugs by purchasing them from accredited pharmacies located in Canada and other countries. To determine the potential average savings, PharmacyChecker researchers looked at prices of ten of the most commonly-prescribed, brand-name medications without generic alternatives available in the U.S.
The prices compared were those available from U.S. pharmacies with a free drug discount card and those listed by international online pharmacies on www.pharmacychecker.com.
Prices to obtain these ten drugs from accredited Canadian pharmacies were on average 75% lower than when using a discount card at local U.S. pharmacies. Prices were even lower—90% savings on average—from accredited international pharmacies in countries other than Canada, including Australia, India, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Turkey and the UK. These Canadian and other international pharmacies require valid prescriptions and ship directly to patients in the U.S.
Januvia, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, does not have a generic version available in the U.S. If Americans use a discount card for a month supply, Januvia 50 mg costs $468.60 at local pharmacies compared to $113.70 when ordered from a Canadian pharmacy; and $24.90 from a licensed pharmacy in Turkey.
Symbicort is an inhaler prescribed for the treatment of asthma. If patients do not have insurance and use a coupon at their local pharmacy, the cost can be $331.30 for one 160 - 4.5 mcg inhaler. By ordering online from Canada, the cost is $114.58 for a comparable strength (200 - 6 mcg); $27.09 for the same strength from an accredited pharmacy in Mauritius. Symbicort is also sometimes marketed internationally under the name Vannair.
Although Januvia and Symbicort do not have generic availability in the U.S., generic versions are lawfully-manufactured and for sale at licensed international pharmacies that Americans can access online. Patients are advised to consult their health care providers as generic drugs available in other countries may not be bioequivalent to the brand.
With several states (Vermont, Florida and Colorado) moving forward to create wholesale drug importation programs, it is notable that Americans are already able to realize these savings on brand drugs. About 8% of Americans say they have imported a medicine for personal use because of cost. Under the FDA’s practice of enforcement discretion, Americans are not pursued, prosecuted or fined for personal use quantities of medicine imports, despite the technical prohibition of federal law.
“Drug prices are too high for too many Americans, especially those who are uninsured or whose insurance doesn’t cover the medicines prescribed to them,” stated PharmacyChecker president Gabriel Levitt. “As Congress and the Trump administration, Democrats and Republicans, continue to debate and argue about legislation to bring down prices, Americans can really benefit from lower drug prices in other countries now. For too many, there is no other choice.”
PharmacyChecker-accredited international online pharmacies process prescription drug orders that are filled by licensed pharmacies, which require a valid U.S. prescription from American customers. Pharmacies selling controlled drugs internationally to the U.S. are not eligible for accreditation. Accredited online pharmacies are verified and monitored for marketing claims, privacy policies, data security, pharmacist consultation availability, and other high standards of online pharmacy practice. PharmacyChecker conducts onsite inspections of pharmacies in several countries including India, Mauritius, Singapore, and Turkey.
• Ten brand-name drugs without U.S. generic availability from ClinCalc DrugStats Database version 19.1.
• Discounted pricing using U.S. Prescription Discount Card in ZIP code 10605 in June 2019, except for one product (*) priced with discount using GoodRx.
• Price per pill or unit (Quantity: 1) as of June 2019.
• Canadian Pharmacy Price (with shipping) of Symbicort (**) reflects the price of one 200 - 6 mcg inhaler. Patients shoud consult their clinician to see if a change of prescription would benefit them considering the potential savings.
• Canadian and other international pricing includes shipping to U.S. from PharmacyChecker-accredited online pharmacies.
About PharmacyChecker
PharmacyChecker is the only independent company that monitors and verifies the credentials of international online pharmacies and publishes price comparisons between those pharmacies and local U.S. pharmacies. It also offers a free discount card for use at local pharmacies in the U.S. PharmacyChecker accreditation and price comparisons have been recommended and referenced by AARP Magazine, the New York Times, the People’s Pharmacy, Yahoo Finance, and others.
