Primary Listings
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs
Drug report cost updates on prescription medicines such as Alzheimer's Disease drugs, statins, beta blockers, antidepressants, ACE inhibitors, heartburn and acid reflux drugs, antihistamines, triptans for migraine headaches, overactive bladder drugs, ADHD drugs, and more. Search by condition or by drug name. From the widely respected Consumer Reports
Drugs: Trends in Brand Name and Generic Prescriptions, 1999 and 2003
By 2003, 53% of people in the US purchased at least one brand name drug; average expense was $82.53. About 46% purchased a generic drug, with an average expense of $33.53. Statistical Brief 144 by AHRQ (published October 2006) uses MEPS data. Click on PDF Link to see the 5-page report
Express Scripts 2008 Drug Trend Report (2009)
Analysis of drug costs, generic utilization vs. specialty drugs, per member per month (PMPM) trends by Express Scripts. 2008 data published April 2009
Generic Drug and Cost Calculator (Interactive)
Compare costs of brand name drugs against generic prescription drugs. Site (bcbst.com) is sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
Medco 2009 Drug Trend Report (pdf)
Large 112-page (5.9 MB) report for healthcare leaders and managers interested in drug trends for cost and utilization. Lists new drugs, biologics and first-time generics in 2008; new indications for current drugs; and possible patent expirations in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Contributors to drug cost growth outlined in the report
Pharmacy Facts And Figures - DrugTopics.com
Online reports for pharmacists, including top 200 drugs - both retail brand and generic, in 2008
Top 200 Drugs Used in Hospitals in 2007 (pdf)
List of the top 200 brand and generic drugs used in hospitals, ranked by wholesale acquisition cost, for 2007. Data by Wolters Kluwer Health. Top of the list (well over $1 Billion each): Lovenox, Aranesp, Procrit, and Revlimid. List released June 2008
Top 25 Drugs - 2007 Prescription Drug Estimates
Top 25 Prescribed Drugs, as estimated by the US government's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). See how many people had expenditures on Lipitor, Simvastatin, Zyrtec, Nexium, Advair, Lexapro, Plavix, Actos, Prevacid, Singulair, Diovan, Vytorin, Fosamax, Protonix, Topamax, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Zetia, Coreg, Crestor, Seroquel, Cymbalta, Avandia, Risperdal
Top 5 Drugs: Children, Adults, and Seniors, 2004 (pdf)
Top five medicines prescribed for children on an outpatient basis in 2004 included three used to treat ADHD: Concerta, Strattera, and Adderall. The top 5 for kids (including Singulair and Zyrtec) accounted for almost 1/4 of all children's prescription spending, according to the government's MEPS data. Top prescription drugs for ages 18-64 and 65+ included Lipitor, Zocor, and Nexium. Average cost per drug purchase is shown. Statistical Brief #180 released July 2007
Other Helpful Listings
Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising on Seniors' Health and Health Care Costs
The non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen provided testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging regarding the impact of drug companies' advertising directly to the consumer. Quote from Peter Lurie, MD's testimony: [On balance, we believe that the clearly demonstrated adverse effects of DTC advertising outweigh the still-undemonstrated, theoretical benefits of the advertising. Every country in the world has reached this conclusion, except the United States.] Well-footnoted. HRG Publication #1751, Sept. 29, 2005
Drug Coverage under Medicare, May 2009 (pdf)
Four-page Tip Sheet explaining how prescription drugs and medicines might be covered under Medicare Part B or Medicare Part D (the more recent drug plan for seniors). Includes guidelines for cancer drugs. Generally, Part A (hospital insurance) does not cover outpatient drugs. Publication 11315-P
Florida Prescription Drug Prices
The official Florida Prescription Drug Price website provides 2009 prices for the 100 most commonly used prescription drugs in FL. Consumer Health Ratings found large price variation among pharmacies in one sample city, ranging from $24 to a shocking $443 for the same generic drug simvastatin (40 mg) during Sept. 2009; similarly Methotrexate prices ranged from $44 to a $96 per prescription. In other cases, pharmacy prices might be nearly identical to each other. Drugs include Actonel, Actos, Adderall, Celebrex, Concerta, Cozaar, Lipitor, Lexapro, Nasonex, Plavix and more
Louisiana Prescription Drug Prices 2010
Compare prices for 100 most commonly prescribed drugs at LA pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreen, Rite Aid, Kmart, Winn Dixie, Walmart and a locally owned family pharmacy. Prices typically vary at least 20 to 30%. Find drug costs for Abilify, Actos, Advair, Celebrex, Chantix, Crestor, Cymbalta, Effexor, Flomax, Humulin, Lipitor, Nasonex, Nexium, Plavix, Seroquel, Spiriva, Strattera, Symbicort, Tamiflu, Valtrex, Vytorin, Xopenex, Zyprexa, more. New from Dept. of Health
Maryland - Prescription Drug Price Finder
Maryland's Attorney General's office provides a pharmacy price check for 26 common drugs: Lipitor, Adderall, Advair, Albuterol, Celebrex, Combivent, Concerta, Depakote, Flonase, Fosamax, Furosemide, Lexapro, Lotrel, Nexium, Norvasx, Ortho Evra, Plavix, Pravachol, Prevacid, Risperdal, Seroquel, Singulair, Toprol, Wellbutrin, Zetia, Zoloft. Site is very easy to use. Select up to 6 drugs to compare prices (Dec. 2008-Jan. 2009) Seven additional drugs (Ambien, Avandia, Hydrocholorothiazide, Effexor, Protonix, Zocor and Zyprexa) are supposed to be available, but cannot be accessed thru the boxes
Medicare Prescription Drug Plans - Premiums and Quality Ratings
Compare the prices (monthly premium average cost) for prescription drug coverage through Medicare (medicare.gov) and see which plans have higher ratings. Uses a 5-star quality rating system that includes member satisfaction survey reports
Michigan Rx Price Finder - compare pharmacy prices
Michigan's website at michigandrugprices.com gives consumers the ability to search prescription drug prices by city or by zip code. One hundred fifty (150) drugs such as Advair, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, Lipitor, Nexium, Plavix, Prevacid, ProAir HFA, Singulair. Pricing from Medicaid payments, updated July 23, 2009
Minnesota RxConnect: Minnesota RxPrice Compare
Site shows prices for about 400 commonly used prescription medications to help consumers in comparison shopping among pharmacies. Drugs include: Levothyroxine, Lisinopril, Lipitor, Simvastatin, Hydrochlorothiazide, Abilify, Actonel, Actos, Advair, Ambien CR, Amoxicillin, Atenolol, Celebrex, Cozaar, Crestor, Cymbalta, Diovan, Effexor, Flomax, Klor-Con, Lantus, Levaquin, Lexapro, Metformin, Nasonex, Nexium, Plavix, Prevacid, Premarin, ProAir, Seroquel, Synthroid, Singulair, Topamax, Valtrex, Xalatan, Zetia and more. Shows therapeutic alternatives and generic drug options. Dates of prices are not clear, implied 2009
Missouri - MoRx Price Compare (find drug prices)
Compare drug prices by pharmacy name in Missouri. At least hundreds of drugs listed. Make sure you are seeing the full list, by scrolling in the little box that shows the drug names. Data are current from the last six months and include prescription drugs like Boniva and Valtrex, and Over-the-Counter (OTC) items like Calcium supplements.
New Hampshire Pharmacy Drug Listing and Price Lookup
NH's official government website, New Hampshire's Medicine Cabinet, compares drug costs from different pharmacies across the state. Shows 2009 prices for an unknown number of drugs, including brand name drugs like Byetta, Celexa, Chantix, Cozaar, Januvia, NovoLog, Aricept, Namenda, Requip, Boniva, Spiriva, Tamiflu, and NH's top 25 drugs such as Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Hydrocodone, Ventolin HFA, Oxycodone, Seroquel, Amoxicillin, Citalopram, Clonidine,Loratadine, Adderall, Singulair, Concerta
New Jersey Prescription Drug Price Registry
Compare drug prices by pharmacy in New Jersey for 150 different prescription medications. List includes common drugs like Aricept, Lipitor, Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, Toprol XL, Norvasc, Synthroid, Amoxicillin, Nexium, Lexapro, Albuterol, and Singulair. Also includes newer drugs like Ambien, Namenda and Spiriva. Interesting features of this website: Medications ranked by volume, and an 800 number for New Jersey people: 1-800-242-5846. Easy to use site by NJ state Division of Consumer Affairs; 2009 costs
New York State Atty. General's Prescription Drug Price Website
Search and compare prices in NY pharmacies for 150 commonly prescribed drugs such as Abilify, Actos, Adderall, Advair, Albuterol, Allegra, Ambien, Amoxicillin, Boniva, Celebrex, Chantix, Cipro, Concerta, Coumadin, Flomax, Flonase, Lipitor, Namenda, Nasonex, Nexium, Paxil, Plavix, Prevacid, Spiriva, Synthroid, Ultram, Valtrex, Viagra, Yasmin, Yaz, Zetia, Zocor (Simvastatin), Zoloft. Easy to use site, except some brands are listed under the generic name
Osteoporosis Medicine Wholesale Prices (2007)
Average Wholesale Prices (AWP) sourced to Red Book 2007 for medicines related to osteoporosis, such as trademarked names Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, Reclast, Evista; hormones such as Miacalcin, Fortical, Premarin, Prempro, Premphase, Forteo; generic calcium and Vitamin D. Actual retail prices for 2009-2010 are expected to be different. Guide to Osteoporosis Treatments by AHRQ, June 2008
Prescription Drug Advertising and Health Reform (2009)
Article in USA Today delves into the question about whether the US will continue to allow direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. It's big business at $4.3 billion in 2008 ad spending. By Theresa Howard, Aug. 10, 2009
Vermont Prescription Drug Price Finder
About 90 prescription drugs listed at this official Vermont government site (Office of Attorney General of VT), where consumers can compare medication drug prices. Includes Actos, Albuterol, Ambien, Cephalexin, Cymbalta, Detrol LA, Flovent, Lantus, Lipitor, Lunesta, Metformin, Nexium, Ortho Evra, Prevacid, Prilosec, Spiriva, Vytorin, Warfarin, Zetia, Zocor; 2009 prices
Washington Pharmacy Discount Card and Drug Prices
WA state provides a prescription drug discount card for enrolled members (no cost to enroll in WPDP.) Search by city or zip code for local pharmacy prices for drug stores participating in the Prescription Drug Program (e.g. Target or Shopko) compared with a selected mail order for brand name and generic drugs. Available through Attorney General's office