Price Comparison Spreadsheet

Because there is no comprehensive source of information on U.S. prescription drug prices, the data for this spreadsheet was derived from a number of sources - the Canadian retail prices as of February 2000 came from Congressman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) web site; the Mexican retail prices from a December 1998 list on a commercial web site. The most current information on brand name prices and on the comparison between brand name prices and generic prices came from the Drugstore.com web sites - prices as of December 2000 and January 2001. The U.S. "Most Favored Customers" information was pieced together from material in the Congressional Record placed there by various Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate. They were trying to show that the difference between the U.S. retail price of brand name prescription drugs and those same drugs available through health insurance companies and HMO's for "a month's supply" are different and in fact, about one-half to one-fourth of the retail price many Americans pay.

This spreadsheet is essentially a reconstruction of prescription drug prices in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is obviously incomplete but it does provide enough information to provide insights into a highly contrived and highly complex system of pricing. The spreadsheet is sorted according to brand name in Column 1. Column 2 has the chemical name of the brand name drug and Column 3 provides a key to the various prices for a given prescription drug in that row -- (B=brand name, C=Canada, retail price, G=generic, MF=most favored customer, and M=Mexican retail.

Column 4 provides the U.S. retail price of the prescription drug for the number of tablets/capsules and dosage shown in Column 5 (where known). Column 6 shows the the U.S. generic price followed by a number and a suffix "TL." In the case of the prescription drug "Calan SR" , the U.S. retail price of $149.48 for 90 - 240mg tablets is followed by the generic price of $14.85 10.06TL, meaning that the U.S. generic price is 10.06 TIMES LESS than the U.S. retail price. The same procedure is followed for the U.S. Most Favored price; the Canadian retail price as of February 2000, and the Mexican retail price as of December 1998.

A number of the drugs listed in the spreadsheet came from the lists of drugs most prescribed for the aged and the disabled on Medicare. It should be noted that 29 of the 65 drugs listed in the spreadsheet have no generic equivalents because the patent on these drugs is still in effect.

 

1

US Brand Name

2-

Chemical Name

3

4-

US Retail

5- Tablets-dosage

6-

US Generic

7-US Most Favored

8- Canada Retail

9- Mexico Retail

1

Amen

Medroxyprogesterone

C

$16.49

90 tabs -2.5mg

>--------->

x

$10.50 1.57TL

x

1

Amen

Medroxyprogesterone

G

$27.07

90 tabs-2.5mg

$11.70 2.3TL

x

x

x

2

Augmentine

Amoxicillin

B

$80.29

30 tabs 250mg

NONE

x

x

x

2

Augmentine

Amoxicillin

M

$55.51

30 tabs - 250mg

NONE

x

x

$35.00 1.59TL

3

Biaxin

Clarithromycin

B

$65.45

20 tabs -250mg

NONE

x

x

x

3

Biaxin

Clarithromycin

M

$85.72

30 tabs - 500mg

NONE

x

x

$49.00 1.75TL

4

Buspar

Busprirone

B

$69.06

90 tabs - 5mg

NONE

x

x

x

4

Buspar

Busprirone

M

$57.34

100 tabs-5mg

NONE

x

x

$36.00 1.59TL

5

Calan SR

Verapamil HCI

G

$149.48

90 tabs - 240mg

$14.85 10.06TL

x

x

x

5

Calan SR

Verapamil HCI

M

$121.31

90 tabs - 240mg

>--------->

x

x

$83.00 1.46TL

6

Cardizem

Diltiazem HCI

C

$52.70

30 tabs - 180mg

>--------->

x

$36.00 1.46TL

x

6

Cardizem

Diltiazem HCI

G

$126.54

90 tabs - 50mg

$18.98 6.67TL

x

x

x

7

Ceclor

Cefaclor

G

$75.74

30 tabs - 250mg

$37.87 2.0TL

x

x

x

7

Ceclor

Cefaclor

M

$57.84

30 tabs - 250mg

>--------->

x

x

$23.00 2.51TL

8

Ceftin

Cefuroxime

B

$82.78

20 tabs -250mg

NONE

x

x

x

8

Ceftin

Cefuroxime

M

$88.81

30 tabs - 250mg

NONE

x

x

$47.00 1.89TL

9

Cefzil

Cefprozil

B

$70.18

20 tabs -250mg

NONE

x

x

x

9

Cefzil

Cefprozil

M

$78.54

30 tabs - 250mg

NONE

x

x

$41.00 1.92TL

10

Celebrex

Celecoxib

B

$79.42

60 tabs - 100mg

NONE

x

x

x

10

Celebrex

Celecoxib

C

$77.15

60 tabs - 100mg

NONE

x

$33.75 2.29TL

x

11

Cipro

Ciprofloxacin

B

$52.64

14 tabs-500mg

NONE

x

x

x

11

Cipro

Ciprofloxacin

M

$95.00

30 tabs - 500mg

NONE

x

x

$44.00 2.16TL

12

Claritin

Loratadine

B

$64.78

30 tabs -10mg

NONE

x

x

x

12

Claritin

Loratadine

M

$179.63

100 tabs - 10mg

NONE

x

x

$67.00 2.68TL

13

Congentine

Benztropine

G

$10.78

30 tabs - 2mg

$5.49 1.96TL

x

x

x

14

Coumadin

Warfarin Sodium

C

$20.91

30 tabs - 5mg

>--------->

x

$10.50 1.99TL

x

14

Coumadin

Warfarin Sodium

G

$82.56

90 tabs - 10mg

$61.92 1.33TL

x

x

x

14

Coumadin

Warfarin Sodium

M

$20.91

30 tabs - 5mg

>--------->

x

x

$10.50 1.99TL

15

Deltazone

Prednisone

G

$9.56

30 tabs - 50mg

9.08 1.05TL

x

x

x

16

Depakote

Tolterodine

B

$27.09

60 tabs -125mg

NONE

x

x

x

17

Desyrel

Trazodone

G

$57.02

30 tabs - 50mg

$7.50 7.6TL

x

x

x

18

Detrol

Tolterodine

B

$80.59

60 tabs - 1mg

NONE

x

x

x

19

Diabeta

Glyburide

C

$15.61

90 tabs - 2.5mg

>--------->

x

$7.00 2.23TL

x

19

Diabeta

Glyburide

G

$35.22

90 tabs - 2.5mg

$14.09 2.5TL

x

x

x

20

Diabinese

Chlorpropamide

G

$144.79

180 tabs 250mg

$72.39 2.0TL

x

x

x

20

Diabinese

Chlorpropamide

M

$70.52

100 tabs 250mg

>--------->

x

x

$22.00 3.2TL

21

Dilantin

Phenyltoin Sodium Ex

G

$22.70

90 tabs - 100mg

13.62 1.6TL

x

x

x

21

Dilantin

Phenyltoin Sodium Ex

M

$23.81

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

x

x

$12.00 1.98TL

22

Ditropan XL

Oxybutynn

B

$81.63

30 tabs -10mg

NONE

x

x

x

23

Dyazide

Triamterene

G

$41.81

90 tabs - 25mg

$14.85 2.82TL

x

x

x

23

Dyazide

Triamterene

M

$39.66

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

x

x

$11.00 3.6TL

24

Elavil

Amitriptyline

C

$20.97

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

x

$5.50 3.8TL

x

24

Elavil

Amitriptyline

G

$61.20

30 tabs - 150mg

$6.12 10TL

x

x

x

25

Evista

Raloxifene

B

$174.47

90 tabs - 60mg

NONE

x

x

x

25

Evista

Raloxifene

C

$181.20

100 tabs - 60mg

NONE

x

$128.00 1.42TL

x

26

Flomax

Tamsulosin

B

$40.96

30 tabs - 40mg

NONE

x

x

x

27

Gloucophage

Metformin

B

$54.09

90 tabs - 500mg

NONE

x

x

x

27

Gloucophage

Metformin

C

$64.15

90 tabs - 500mg

NONE

x

$14.00 4.58TL

x

28

Glucatrol

Glipizide

G

$125.12

180 tabs 10mg

$25.02 5.0TL

x

x

x

28

Glucatrol

Glipizide

M

$61.56

100 tabs -10mg

>--------->

x

x

$33.00 1.87TL

29

Hismanal

?

M

$171.92

100 tabs -10mg

>--------->

x

x

$74.00 2.32TL

30

Hydro-Diuril

Hydro-chlorothiazid

G

$22.91

90 tabs 50mg

$5.49 4.17TL

x

x

x

31

Hygroton

Chlorthalidone

G

$82.15

90 tabs-50mg

$8.78 9.36TL

x

x

x

31

Hygroton

Chlorthalidone

M

$78.00

100 tabs-50mg

>--------->

x

x

$33.00 2.36TL

32

Hytrin

Terazosin HCI

C

$143.38

100 tabs - 2mg

>--------->

x

$69.50 2.06TL

x

32

Hytrin

Terazosin HCI

G

$55.78

30 tabs 10mg

$11.16 5.0TL

x

x

x

33

Imdur

Isosorbide Mononitrate

C

$109.41

90 tabs - 30mg

>--------->

x

$30.00 3.65TL

x

33

Imdur

Isosorbide Mononitrate

G

$119.12

90 tabs - 30mg

71.47 1.6TL

x

x

x

34

K-Dur

Potassium

B

$52.71

100 20meq

NONE

x

x

x

34

K-Dur

Potassium

C

$21.05

60 tabs - 20mg

NONE

x

$11.00 1.91TL

x

35

Lanoxin

Digitek

G

$19.14

90 tabs -0.25mg

$8.61 2.22TL

x

x

x

35

Lanoxin

Digitek

M

$14.62

? Tabs - 0.25mg

>--------->

x

x

$6.00 2.44TL

36

Lasix

Furosemide

C

$13.05

60 tabs - 20mg

>--------->

x

$4.45 2.93TL

x

36

Lasix

Furosemide

G

$12.51

30 tabs -80mg

$5.49 2.28TL

x

x

x

36

Lasix

Furosemide

M

$23.05

100 tabs - 40mg

>--------->

x

x

$12.00 1.92TL

37

Lipitor

Atorvastatin

B

$234.46

90 tabs - 20mg

NONE

x

x

x

37

Lipitor

Atorvastatin

C

$229.93

90 tabs - 20mg

NONE

x

$164.00 1.4TL

x

38

Lodine

Etodolac

G

$274.04

180 tabs - 300mg

$95.91 2.86TL

x

x

x

38

Lodine

Etodolac

M

$120.87

100 tabs - 300mg

>--------->

x

x

$28.00 4.32TL

39

Motrin

Ibuprofen

G

$38.15

90 tabs-800mg

$11.45 3.33TL

x

x

x

39

Motrin

Ibuprofen

M

$35.06

100 tabs -800mg

>--------->

x

x

$23.00 1.52TL

40

Naprosyn

Naproxen

G

$227.50

180 tabs-500mg

$39.36 5.79TL

x

x

x

40

Naprosyn

Naproxen

M

$113.31

100 tabs-500mg

>--------->

x

x

$56.00 2.02TL

41

Neurontin

Gabapentin

C

$168.00

120 tabs - 400mg

NONE

x

$127.00 1.32TL

x

41

Neurontin

Gabapentin

G

$113.18

90 tabs-400mg

NONE

x

x

x

42

Nolvadex

Tamoxifen Citrate

C

$241.67

180 tabs 10mg

>--------->

x

$34.00 7.11TL

x

42

Nolvadex

Tamoxifen Citrate

G

$290.91

180 tabs 10mg

276.36 1.05TL

x

x

x

43

Norpace

Disopyramide Phosphate

C

$90.45

90 tabs - 150mg

>--------->

x

$29.35 3.08TL

x

43

Norpace

Disopyramide Phosphate

G

$76.42

90 tabs-150mg

$30.57 2.5TL

x

x

x

44

Norvasc

Amlodpine

B

$56.75

30 tabs - 10mg

NONE

x

x

x

44

Norvasc

Amlodpine

MF

$116.64

? tabs - ?mg

NONE

$59.71 1.95 TL

x

x

45

Orudis

Ketoprofen

G

$227.57

180 tabs 75mg

$34.14 6.6TL

x

x

x

45

Orudis

Ketoprofen

M

$101.72

100 tabs -75mg

>--------->

x

x

$47.00 2.16TL

46

Paxil

Paroxetine

B

$65.48

250 tabs - 10mg

NONE

x

x

x

47

Permax

Pergolide

B

$401.84

270 tabs-0.25mg

NONE

x

x

x

47

Permax

Pergolide

C

$253.73

240 tabs 0.25mg

NONE

x

$199.00 1.28TL

x

48

Plavix

Clopidogrel

B

$169.23

60 tabs - 75mg

NONE

x

x

x

48

Plavix

Clopidogrel

C

$120.23

45 tabs -75mg

NONE

x

$93.00 1.29TL

x

49

Premarin

Conjug. Estrogens

B

$41.84

30 tabs 2.5mg

NONE

x

x

x

49

Premarin

Conjug. Estrogens

C

$35.17

90 tabs 0.3mg

NONE

x

$12.00 2.93TL

x

50

Prilosec

Omeprazole

B

$156.72

30 tabs 40mg

NONE

x

x

x

50

Prilosec

Omeprazole

C

$360.50

90 tabs - 20mg

NONE

x

$170.36 2.12TL

x

50

Prilosec

(Maine)

Omeprazole

MF

$114.56

? tabs - ?mg

NONE

$59.10

1.94TL

x

x

50

Prilosec

(Florida)

Omeprazole

MF

$115.71

? tabs - ?mg

NONE

$59.10

1.96TL

x

x

51

Procardia

Nifedipine

G

$103.15

90 tabs - 20mg

$10.31 10.0TL

x

x

x

51

Procardia

Nifedipine

M

$58.34

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

x

x

$19.00 3.07TL

51

Procardia

(Florida)

Nifedipine

MF

$129.45

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

$68.35 1.89TL

x

x

51

Procardia

(Maine)

Nifedipine

MF

$130.33

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

$68.35 1.91TL

x

x

52

Propulsid

?

C

$289.20

200 tabs 200mg

>--------->

x

$200.00 1.45TL

x

53

Prozac

Fluoxetine

B

$72.53

30 tabs -10mg

NONE

x

x

x

53

Prozac

Fluoxetine

C

$105.64

? tabs - ?mg

NONE

x

$43.00 2.46TL

x

54

Relafen

Nabumetone

B

$213.25

180 tabs 500mg

NONE

x

x

x

54

Relafen

Nabumetone

M

$112.59

100 tabs-500mg

NONE

x

x

$45.00 2.5TL

55

Rheumatrex

Methotrexate

C

$47.84

28 tabs -2.5mg

>--------->

x

$21.00 2.28TL

x

55

Rheumatrex

Methotrexate

G

$103.73

30 tabs -2.5mg

32.18 3.3TL

x

x

x

56

Synthroid

Levothroid

C

$28.00

90 tabs 0.75mg

>--------->

x

$8.60 3.26TL

x

56

Synthroid

Levothroid

G

$59.34

90 tabs - 0.3mg

$23.73 2.5TL

x

x

x

56

Synthroid

Levothroid

MF

$25.86

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

$1.78 14.5TL

x

x

57

Tenormin

Atenolol

G

$149.90

? tabs - ?mg

$11.24 13.3TL

x

x

x

57

Tenormin

Atenolol

M

$83.04

? Tabs - 50mg

>--------->

x

x

$31.00 2.68TL

58

Ticlid

Ticlopidine

G

$120.69

60 tabs - 250mg

$78.37 1.54TL

x

x

x

58

Ticlid

(Maine)

Ticlopidine

MF

$117.95

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

$33.57 3.51TL

x

x

58

Ticlid

(California)

Ticlopidine

MF

$131.00

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

$34.00 3.85TL

x

x

59

Torodol

?

M

$111.97

100 tabs-10mg

>--------->

x

x

$71.00 1.58TL

60

Vasotec

Enalapril Maleate

C

$207.09

? tabs - ?mg

>--------->

x

$157.00 1.32TL

x

60

Vasotec

Enalapril Maleate

G

$131.18

90 tabs - 20mg

$104.95 1.25TL

x

ß

x

60

Vasotec

Enalapril Maleate

M

$85.93

? Tabs - 5mg

>--------->

x

x

$37.00 2.32TL

61

Zantac

Ranitidine HCL

G

$268.13

90 tabs - 300mg

$24.98 10.73TL

x

x

x

61

Zantac

Ranitidine HCL

M

$83.91

? Tabs - 150mg

>--------->

x

x

$26.00 3.23TL

62

Zaroxolyn

Metolazone

B

$24.78

30 tabs - 2.5mg

NONE

x

x

x

62

Zaroxolyn

Metola