About GPhA

Prescription drug costs are a significant part of the average American’s health care expense. That’s why an increasing number of consumers are turning to generic medicines as a way to lower their health care costs while maintaining high quality care. Generics are just as safe and effective as name-brands, but often cost up to 80 percent less. And generics can assist older Americans to navigate the Medicare donut hole.

Money-Saving Strategies: Use with Caution

Generic versions are not available for all drugs. So some Americans have turned to buying over the Internet or from foreign countries. This may save money, but it can also be risky. The seller may not even be a pharmacy, and the drugs may be counterfeit, inactive, not made safely, contaminated, or not approved as “safe and effective” by the Food and Drug Administration. The pharmacy profession has established some safeguards to help you obtain drugs safely online, through a program called Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ (VIPPS).

Drugs purchased in other countries may or may not be held to the same standards as drugs bought as they are in the United States. Certainly, if there is a problem, it will be difficult to diagnose and fix. Your doctor or hospital cannot be sure what drug you are taking without tests, which may cause treatment to be delayed.

Comparison Shopping

A number of online resources can provide information about saving on drug prices. A few are listed at right. Individual pharmacy websites also may provide information on drug prices and the availability of generics.

When You Need Help Paying for Prescriptions

Help in paying for drugs can be available from government programs, pharmaceutical manufacturers, private organizations, and others. Fortunately, the websites listed at right, have compiled this information for consumers so that you do not have to search these possible resources yourself. You may have to indicate family income and whether you participate in either public or private health insurance plans.

• Especially for Seniors

Helpful Tools

Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites™ (VIPPS®)
Search tool for internet pharmacies approved by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
http://www.vipps.info

Check for Savings
A tool from DrugDigest to find out whether a generic version of your prescribed drug is available.
http://www.drugdigest.org/ Click Interactive Tools, Click “Check for Savings”

Compare Prices
A tool from Consumer Reports that provides information on generic and brand-name drugs. It lets you compare prices from various online and other retailers, using DestinationRx, an established comparison-shopping website OR tells you the price of the drug at retail pharmacies in your geographic area. It has links to other websites that let you compare prices with additional online pharmacies.
http://www.consumerreports.org/health/free-highlights/compare-prices/com...

Patient Center
Searchable database from RxAssist that lets you know whether the manufacturer of drugs you take has a program to help you reduce your medication costs.
http://www.rxassist.org/patients/default.cfm

Find Out More

Imported Drugs Raise Safety Concerns
Article from the Food and Drug Administration.
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/502_import.html

Importing Rx Medications from Abroad
Information from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores about the risks and alternatives to buying drugs from other countries and online.
http://www.nacds.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=3046

Consumer Education: Buying Medicine from Outside the United States (también en español)
Collection of news and information from the Food and Drug Administration.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/buy_outside_US_text.htm

Buying Prescription Medicine Online: A Consumer Safety Guide (también en español)
Tips on buying medications safely from the Food and Drug Administration
http://www.fda.gov/buyonlineguide/