The High Costs of Prescriptions

This week, I will focus on the healthcare industry. Many people call it sick care because they don't seem to be interested in keeping you healthy, but are focused on keeping you sick. This sounds very deplorable, and there are many aspects that truly are despicable.

Today, I will pass along some information compiled by Sharon L. Davis, a budget analyst with the US Department of Commerce. Her email address is sdavis@doc.gov. Her research compiled some very interesting facts on the pharmaceutical companies and the cost of their prescriptions sold to the public. Much of the information is posted in Life Extension Foundation online magazine which can be found at www.lef.org.

Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drug company for the active ingredient in prescription medications? Some think that it costs a lot since many drugs for more than $2.00 per tablet. A significant percentage of drugs sold in the United States contain active ingredients made in other countries. This decreases significantly their manufacturing costs, but what is the impact to the bottom line?

Take a look at the difference between the costs and what they are actually selling the prescriptions for.

Celebrex: 100 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $130.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.60
Percent markup: 21,712%

Claritin: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $215.17
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.71
Percent markup: 30,306%

Keflex: 250 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $157.39
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.88
Percent markup: 8,372%

Lipitor: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $272.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $5.80
Percent markup: 4,696%

Norvasc: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $188.29
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.14
Percent markup: 134,493%

Paxil: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $220.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $7.60
Percent markup: 2,898%

Prevacid: 30 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $44.77
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.01
Percent markup: 34,136%

Prilosec: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $360.97
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.52
Percent markup: 69,417%

Prozac: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $247.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.11
Percent markup: 224,973%

Tenormin: 50 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $104.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.13
Percent markup: 80,362%

Vasotec: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $102.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.20
Percent markup: 51,185%

Xanax: 1 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $136.79
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.024
Percent markup: 569,958%

Zestril: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $89.89
Cost of general active ingredients: $3.20
Percent markup: 2,809%

Zithromax: 600 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $1,482.19
Cost of general active ingredients: $18.78
Percent markup: 7,892%

Zocor: 40 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $350.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $8.63
Percent markup: 4,059%

Zoloft: 50 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $206.87
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.75
Percent markup: 11,821%

One way to alleviate these astronomically high costs are to buy the generic equivalents which can help save usually 20% or more. Even generic drug companies will routinely mark up their products by more than 3000 percent. But this is still outrageous. This is why there is a Walgreens or a CVS pharmacy on seemingly every major street corner.

Sharon went on to endorse Costco warehouse stores which say that they charge very little over their costs for the drugs. Check out and compare online prices to your local pharmacy - www.costco.com.

So who is doing the gauging? Drug companies, pharmacies, doctors, hospitals? Answer: All of the above.

Tomorrow, there will be more exposed about the atrocities of the healthcare industry. Stay tuned ...

A man's spirit sustains him in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear? Proverbs 18:14 (NIV)

If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.
Email: DeltaInspire@panama-vo.com