SkydiveNFlorida 0 #1 January 15, 2004 This was sent to me by a friend. I do not use an prescription drugs, but maybe you do, and maybe it will benefit you:) : " Ok Yall this was sent to me by a dear friend. I was totally shocked. I will be becoming a member of costco very soon : Subject: Drug Co. Profit Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drug company for the active ingredient in prescription medications? Some people think it must cost a lot, since many drugs sell for more than $2.00 per tablet. We did a search of offshore chemical synthesizers that supply the active ingredients found in drugs approved by the FDA. As we have revealed in past issues of Life Extension, a significant percentage of drugs sold in the United States contain active ingredients made in other countries. In our independent investigation of how much profit drug companies really make, we obtained the actual price of active ingredients used in some of the most popular drugs sold in America. The chart below speaks for itself. 1. BRAND NAME OF DRUG 2. CONSUMER PRICE 100 TABS 3. COST OF GENERAL ACTIVE INGREDIENTS 4. PERCENT MARKUP Celebrex 100 mg $130.27 $0.60 21,712% Claritin 10 mg $215.17 $0.71 30,306% Keflex 250 mg $157.39 $1.88 8,372% Lipitor 20 mg $272.37 $5.80 4,696% Norvasc 10 mg $188.29 $0.14 134,493% Paxil 20 mg $220.27 $7.60 2,898% Prevacid 30 mg $44.77 $1.01 34,136% Prilosec 20 mg $360.97 $0.52 69,417% Prozac 20 mg $247.47 $0.11 224,973% Tenormin 50 mg $104.47 $0.13 80,362% Vasotec 10 mg $102.37 $0.20 51,185% Xanax 1mg $136.79 $0.024 569,958% Zestril 20 mg $89.89 $3.20 2,809% Zithromax 600mg $1,482.19 $18.78 7,892% Zocor 40mg $350.27 $8.63 4,059% Zoloft 50mg $206.87 $1.75 11,821% Since the cost of prescription drugs is so outrageous, I thought everyone I knew should know about this. Please read the following and pass it on. It pays to shop around. This helps to solve the mystery as to why they can afford to put a Walgreens on every corner.................. On Monday night, Steve Wilson, an investigative reporter for channel 7 News in Detroit, did a story on generic drug price gouging by pharmacies. He found in his investigation, that some of these generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. Yes, that's not a typo..... three thousand percent! So often, we blame the drug companies for the high cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with the pharmacies themselves. For example, if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills. The pharmacist might tell you that if you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are "saving" $20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills may have only cost him $10! At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr.Wilson whether or not there were any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently charged little over their cost for the generic drugs. I went to the Costco site, where you can look up any drug, and get its online price. It says that the in-store prices are consistent with the online prices. I was appalled. Just to give you one example from my own experience, I had to use the drug, Compazine, which helps prevent nausea in chemo patients. I used the generic equivalent, which cost $54.99 for 60pills at CVS. I checked the price at Costco, and I could have bought 100 pills for $19.89. For 145 of my pain pills, I paid $72.57. I could have got 150 at Costco for $28.08.I would like to mention, that although Costco is a "membership" type store, you do NOT have to be a member to buy prescriptions there, as it is a federally regulated substance. You just tell them at the door that you wish to use the pharmacy, and they will let you in. I am asking each of you to please help me by copying this letter, and pasting it into your own email, and send it to everyone you know with an email address. " Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #2 January 15, 2004 please remember... you're not only paying for the medication itself, you're paying for the research and development that went into making it. comparing actual price to cost of ingredients is like comparing the cost of computer software to the price of a blank CD rom. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #3 January 15, 2004 I was just passing this info along. I don't want to start a debate here, but if you read the whole thing, it is pretty damn ridiculous that at one place you may buy a script for 80$ and at another place for 30$. jmo. It sounds to me as if most of the price increase is for the benefit of the retailer, not the benefit of research. Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #4 January 16, 2004 QuoteI was just passing this info along. I don't want to start a debate here, but if you read the whole thing, it is pretty damn ridiculous that at one place you may buy a script for 80$ and at another place for 30$. jmo. It sounds to me as if most of the price increase is for the benefit of the retailer, not the benefit of research. Angela. So why not just buy it at the place where its only #30.00? What, you want the Gov't to come in and set price controls so you don't hace to shop around? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #5 January 16, 2004 QuoteQuoteI was just passing this info along. I don't want to start a debate here, but if you read the whole thing, it is pretty damn ridiculous that at one place you may buy a script for 80$ and at another place for 30$. jmo. It sounds to me as if most of the price increase is for the benefit of the retailer, not the benefit of research. Angela. So why not just buy it at the place where its only #30.00? What, you want the Gov't to come in and set price controls so you don't hace to shop around? LOL! You people are fucking amazing. I'm just passing the info along so that anyone who doesn't know about this can go buy their drugs for (possibly) cheaper at Costco. But, I suppose setting price controls would be a good idea Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #6 January 16, 2004 Actually, I was looking at this pentium IV processor. Cost a few hundred bucks. Then I remembers that silicon dioxide was all over the place, even clinging annoyingly to me in very private places. Those bastards at intel take all this sand and remove the O2 from it, thereby leaving with less than it started with. Then charge all that money for it? Bastards... My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #7 January 16, 2004 QuoteActually, I was looking at this pentium IV processor. Cost a few hundred bucks. Then I remembers that silicon dioxide was all over the place, even clinging annoyingly to me in very private places. Those bastards at intel take all this sand and remove the O2 from it, thereby leaving with less than it started with. Then charge all that money for it? Bastards... What? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #8 January 16, 2004 QuoteQuoteActually, I was looking at this pentium IV processor. Cost a few hundred bucks. Then I remembers that silicon dioxide was all over the place, even clinging annoyingly to me in very private places. Those bastards at intel take all this sand and remove the O2 from it, thereby leaving with less than it started with. Then charge all that money for it? Bastards... What? What I'm saying is that merely because the constituent parts cost a certain amount does not mean that the stuff is not "value added." How much does nylon and string cost? Not as much at that 190. It's not the materials. It's what you do with them. By your argument, I could list out the weights of the elements of a 150 man, and determine the prices for the raw elements. Then, I could tell you that the value of a man is a couple hundred dollars. This is a piss poor argument for the price of medications. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #9 January 16, 2004 Thank you for the heads up, Angela! Definitely appreciate you trying to help all of us out...paying less money = more jump tickets!! ~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #10 January 16, 2004 QuoteThank you for the heads up, Angela! Definitely appreciate you trying to help all of us out...paying less money = more jump tickets!! I was just trying to be nice. I'm not saying that the cost of pills should be the cost of their components. .. but when one store is charging 80$ and another is charging 30$... I'm gonna have to assume that the store charging 80$ is making an add'l 50$ off of me that they needn't be. It isn't like parachutes, where diff mfgs sew differently, and have better reps... pills at walgreens are no better than pills at costco. walgreens doesn't make the pills, afterall. Let's put this into skydiving... If you wanted to buy a new neptune and you were prepared to pay 250$ to your local dz store and I posted saying that another store right near you was charging only 200$... wouldn't this be info you would want to have? Ok, it's nice to support your local dz store... but the fact is that the other store is giving you a bargain and if you are not rich... you might want to go this route instead. Same product, and you save 50$ (ooh, jump $$) just food for thought. argue if you must. Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #11 January 16, 2004 I add my thanks, Angela. Very soon I will need some meds, not to mention my daily medication. I suspect I will check out Costco (of which I am already a member...) and see what the price comparison is. I have no insurance. This is, for me, a total out of pocket pay, and I need to save money where I can - not for jump $$, but for rent... Thanks again! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benny 0 #12 January 16, 2004 Yet another instance of the breakdown of traditional supply and demand scenarios thanks to monopolization and inelastic demand curves. Never go to a DZ strip show. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyRamone 0 #13 January 16, 2004 The Illinois Govoner wants to buy from Canada to save money... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SeaKev 0 #14 January 16, 2004 Nice job heading off the flames, Jaye. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #15 January 16, 2004 QuoteI add my thanks, Angela. Very soon I will need some meds, not to mention my daily medication. I suspect I will check out Costco (of which I am already a member...) and see what the price comparison is. I have no insurance. This is, for me, a total out of pocket pay, and I need to save money where I can - not for jump $$, but for rent... Thanks again! Ciels- Michele Wow, Michele. That sux you don't have ins:( I hope you save a few $$, but I suspect you'll still be eaten alive. Good luck! Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #16 January 16, 2004 My prescription drugs are reasonably priced, but I'm definitely paying WAY too much for the damn street drugs! Where can I get those cheaper??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdutch 0 #17 January 16, 2004 Actually, that is why a lot of insurance companies, in the northern states "REQUIRE" you to get your prescriptions from Canada. Its quite sad you can drive across the border and recieve your prescriptions up to %70 cheaper. I definitely think there is a serious price scam going on in the US. but then again thats what we do here. Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #18 January 16, 2004 I didn't know that some people up north were required to cross the border for scripts. Really is a shame. Shotgun,.. sorry, i'm not in that business anymore. I might be able to refer you to someone who can help, tho. j/k Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taln1rigr 0 #19 January 16, 2004 Angela, I totally got the point of this thread ... I just think there's been so many debates lately in some of the other threads, me included, that some are just trigger happy. Never mind them. I'm gonna bookmark Costco now in my favorites so if I, or anyone else in my family, needs some prescriptions filled I can I look there first for a price then shop around. I love saving money & I can only spend so much time doing research ... if Costco is selling all generic prescriptions at a lower price, like they did yours, you can bet I'll be buying from them ... and I'll have you to thank for passing along the info. Thanks Baby!! You're The Best!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #20 January 16, 2004 At least some people got the point of the thread. haha. muah. Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #21 January 16, 2004 QuoteAt least some people got the point of the thread. haha. muah. Angela. Can you tell me where the cheapest place to get ice cream is? I love ice cream. I saw it at Safeway, but they wanted $4.59 per gallon. Do you know what Costco charges? It's Breyers Moose Tracks. Thank you in advance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #22 January 16, 2004 Quote Can you tell me where the cheapest place to get ice cream is? I love ice cream. I saw it at Safeway, but they wanted $4.59 per gallon. Do you know what Costco charges? It's Breyers Moose Tracks. Thank you in advance. I dunno, .. but Publix Premium is pretty damn good! Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #23 January 16, 2004 I have known for years that the insurance industry is full of major ripoffs, and now it appears the drug industry is too. Damn shame the almighty dollar comes before the value of human life. I heard a guy - a "conspiracy theory" type, who is convinced the AIDS epidemic could be quickly eradicated, but the drug companies are making too much money on the treatment drugs. A liittle far out there, but almost conceivable? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pleifer 0 #24 January 16, 2004 [reply By your argument, I could list out the weights of the elements of a 150 man, and determine the prices for the raw elements. Then, I could tell you that the value of a man is a couple hundred dollars. reply] actually the value of a person in elements (average weight??) is something like around three dollars we figured it out in chem. once now if i would have only paid attention in spelling class _________________________________________ The Angel of Duh has spoke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
