Expensive Drugs Dropped from 2019 Insurance Coverage Cost Up to 95% Less from Verified International Online Pharmacies

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Jan 15, 2019, 09:07 ET

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than ninety medications were removed from the formularies of two large pharmacy benefit managers, Express Scripts and Caremark, at the close of 2018. This leaves over 200 million Americans who may need these drugs to pay potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars per month out-of-pocket. According to research by PharmacyChecker, 29 of those dropped brand-name drugs are available and can be ordered from international online pharmacies for savings between 15% and 95% off average U.S. pharmacy prices. These lower-priced medications are available at licensed pharmacies located in several countries, including Canada, India, and the UK.

Nineteen of the 29 medications do not have generic versions available in the United States: for five of those 19 medications (Atripla, Daklinza, Flarex, Maxidex, and Sovaldi), the generic versions are already approved for sale in other countries and available to order from online pharmacies.

Neupro (rotigotine) is prescribed for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome. Thirty 4 mg Neupro patches can cost American patients $793.77. Online shoppers can find it for as much as 74% off—$210—by comparing prices among verified pharmacies using PharmacyChecker.com. Ninety tablets of Atripla (efavirenz / emtricitabine / tenofovir), an HIV drug, cost $9,222.21 in the U.S. but can be ordered online from licensed foreign pharmacies for $3,803.45. Additionally, the generic version of Atripla is not available in the U.S. but is available to order from abroad for as little as $305 for a three months' supply—a potential savings of 97%.

See full research findings: Brand Drug Prices at U.S. Pharmacies vs. Ordering from International Online Pharmacies

Peer-reviewed research shows that rogue online pharmacies can be avoided by sticking to online pharmacies credentialed by PharmacyChecker, which are similar in safety to U.S. pharmacies and meet the standards of the PharmacyChecker Verification Program.

"Don't be fooled by sites that offer the lowest drug prices. It's critical for patients to protect their health by avoiding rogue online pharmacies that are more likely to sell substandard or counterfeit drugs," says Dr. Shivam Patel, a licensed pharmacist in Massachusetts who oversees the PharmacyChecker Verification Program. "Through the PharmacyChecker Verification Program, we evaluate an online pharmacy's credentials. Patients who stick to PharmacyChecker-verified pharmacies not only get savings but greater assurance that they will receive the right medicine from a licensed pharmacy."

SOURCE PharmacyChecker.com