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Article published May 20, 2007
LOW-PRICED OR FREE GENERICS LAUNCHED 6 MONTHS AGO
Users, sellers feeling good on $4 prescriptions
Pharmacist Donnie Sigman fills a prescription at the Wal-Mart in Spring Meadows. The chain was a leader in super-low-priced generics. See drug list .
( THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH )

SINCE JANUARY, Kimberly Snide has saved $72 by getting three prescriptions for generic medicine filled at Giant Eagle.

“They were costing me $10 before, so it saved me $6 per prescription per month,” said Ms. Snide, program coordinator at the Maumee Senior Center.

She was so pleased that she transferred 12 prescriptions from a local Kroger Co. store to Giant Eagle’s pharmacy.

Spokesmen for Wal-Mart say that nationally, the chain has filled $290 million worth of $4 generic prescriptions since its program began.
( THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH )

Six months after several retailers — led by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Giant Eagle Inc., and Meijer — began offering more than 300 widely used generic drugs either for free or for $4, customers and the retailers seem happy.

Wal-Mart began its $4 price for 331 generic drugs in September, and since has filled $290 million of prescriptions. Those drugs represent 35 percent of the prescriptions dispensed by the chain.

Further, nearly 30 percent of the $4 prescriptions are ordered by people with no health insurance, said Wal-Mart spokesman Marisa Bluestone.

DRUG LIST
Here are the generic prescription drugs that are for free or for $4 each from participating retailers.

Free antibiotics at Meijer

Amoxicillin

Ampicillin

Cephalexin

Ciprofloxacin

Erythromycin

Penicillin vk

Sulfamethoxazole-tmp


$4 generic drugs offered either at Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle, or Target

(BOLDFACED drugs are offered only at Giant Eagle)


Acyclovir 200mg capsules

Albuterol 0.5% nebulizer solution

Albuterol 2mg tablets

Albuterol 2mg/5ml syrup

Albuterol 4mg tablets

Allopurinol 100mg tablets

Allopurinol 300mg tablets

Amitriptyline 100mg tablets

Amitriptyline 10mg tablets

Amitriptyline 25mg tablets

Amitriptyline 50mg tablets

Amitriptyline 75mg tablets

Amilor/hctz 5mg/50mg tablets

Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml sus 100ml

Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml sus 150ml

Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml sus 80ml

Amoxicillin 125mg tablets

Amoxicillin 200mg/5ml sus 100ml

Amoxicillin 200mg/5ml sus 50ml

Amoxicillin 200mg/5ml sus 75ml

Amoxicillin 250mg capsules

Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml sus 100ml

Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml sus 150ml

Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml sus 80ml

Amoxicillin 400mg/5ml sus 100ml

Amoxicillin 400mg/5ml sus 50ml

Amoxicillin 400mg/5ml sus 75ml

Amoxicillin 400mg tablets

Amoxicillin 500mg capsules

Amoxicillin 875mb tablets

Amoxil 50mg/ml drops

Ampicillin 250mg capsules

Ampicillin 500 mg capsules

Antipy/benzo otic solution

Atenol/chlor 100/25mg tablets

Atenol/chlor 50/25mg tablets

Atenolol 100mg tablets

Atenolol 25mg tablets

Atenolol 50mg tablets

Atropine sul 1% op solution

Bacitracin opthalmic ointment 4

Baclofen 10mg tablets

Belladona alk/pb tablets

Benazepril 10mg tablets

Benazepril 20mg tablets

Benazepril 40mg tablets

Benazepril 5mg tablets

Benzonatate 100mg capsules

Benztropine 2mg tablets

Betamethasone dip 0.05% cream 15gm

Betamethasone dip 0.05% cream 45gm

Betamethasone val 0.1% cream 15gm

Betamethasone val 0.1% cream 45gm

Betamethasone val 0.1% ointment 15gm

Betamethasone val 0.1% ointment 45gm

Bisoprolol/hctz 10/6.25 tablets

Bisoprolol/hctz 2.5/6.25 tablets

Bisoprolol/hctz 5/6.25mg tablets

Brometane dx liquid

Bromfenex pd 6-60mg cr capsules

Bumetanide 0.5mg tablets

Bumetanide 1mg tablets

Buspirone 10mg tablets

Buspirone 5mg tablets

Captopril 100mg tablets

Captopril 12.5mg tablets

Captopril 25mg tablets

Captopril 50mg tablets

Carbamazepine 200mg tablets

Cephalexin 250mg capsules

Cephalexin 500mg capsules

Cephalexin 125mg/5ml sus 100ml

Cephalexin 125mg/5ml sus 200ml

Cephalexin 250mg/5ml sus 100 ml

Cephalexin 250mg/5ml sus 200 ml


Ceron dm syrup

Ceron drops 1oz

Chlorhexadrine glu 0.12% solution

Chlorpropamide 100mg tablets

Chlorthalidone 25mg tablets

Chlorthalidone 50mg tablets

Cimetidine 800mg tablets

Ciprofloxacn 250mg tablets

Ciprofloxacn 500mg tablets

Ciprofloxacn 750mg tablets

Citalopram 20mg tablets

Citalopram 40mg tablets

Clonidine 0.1mg tablets

Clonidine 0.1mg pack

Clonidine 0.2mg tablets

Clonidine 0.2mg pack

Colchicine 0.6mg tablets

Cpm/pse 8-120 cr capsules

Cyclobenzaprine 10mg tablets

Cyclobenzaprine 5mg tablets

Cytra2 solution

Dec-chlorphen dm drops

Dec-chrlorphen dm syrup


Dexamethasone .5mg tablets

Dexamethasone 0.75mg tablets

Dexamethasone 4mg tablets

Diclofenac 75mg dr tab

Dicyclomine 10mg capsules

Dicyclomine 20mg tablets

Digitek 0.125mg tablets

Digitek 0.25mg tablets

Diltiazem 120mg tablets

Diltiazem 30mg tablets

Diltiazem 60mg tablets

Diltiazem 90mg tablets

Doxazosin 1mg tablets

Doxazosin 2mg tablets

Doxazosin 4mg tablets

Doxazosin 8mg tablets

Doxepin hcl 100mg capsules

Doxepin hcl 10mg capsules

Doxepin hcl 25mg capsules

Doxepin hcl 50mg capsules

Doxepin hcl 75mg capsules

Doxycycline hyc 100mg capsules

Doxycycline hyc 100mg tablets

Doxycycline hyc 50mg capsules

Enalapril 10mg tablets

Enalapril 2.5mg tablets

Enalapril 20mg tablets

Enalapril 5mg tablets

Enalapril/hctz 5mg/12.5mg tablets

Erythromycin 250mg ec capsules

Erythromycin 250mg tablets

Erythromycin 400mg tablets

Erythromycin 500mg tablets


Erythromycin 2% topical solution

Erythromycin 200mg/5ml sus 280ml

Erythromycin 400mg/5ml sus 280ml


Erythromycin opthalmic ointment

Estradiol 0.5mg tablets

Estradiol 1mg tablets

Estradiol 2mg tablets

Estropipate 0.625mg tablets

Estropipate 0.75mg tablets

Estropipate 1.25mg tablets

Estropipate 1.5mg tablets

Ethedent 0.25mg chewable tablets

Famotidine 20mg tablets

Fluconazole 150mg tablets

Fluocinonide 0.05% cream 15gm

Fluocinonide 0.05% cream 30gm

Fluocinonide acet 0.01% solution

Fluoxetine 10mg capsules

Fluoxetine 10mg tablets

Fluoxetine 20mg capsules

Fluoxetine 40mg capsules

Fluphenazine 1mg tablets

Folic acid 1mg tablets

Furosemide 20mg tablets

Furosemide 40mg tablets

Furosemide 80mg tablets

Garamycin 0.1% cream

Gentak 0.3% opthalmic solution


Gentamicin 0.1% cream 15gm

Gentamicin 0.1% ointment 15gm

Gentamicin 0.3% opthalmic solution

Glimepiride 1mg tablets

Glimepiride 2mg tablets

Glimepiride 4mg tablets

Glipizide 10mg tablets

Glipizide 5mg tablets

Glyburide 2.5mg tablets (blue)

Glyburide 2.5mg tablets (green)

Glyburide 5mg tablets (blue)

Glyburide 5mg tablets (green)

Glyburide mcr 3mg tablets

Glyburide mcr 6mg tablets

Guaifenesin dm syrup

Guaifenex dm er

Guaifenex gp tablets

Guanfacine 1mg tablets

Haloperidol 0.5mg tablets

Haloperidol 1mg tablets

Haloperidol 2mg tablets

Haloperidol 5mg tablets

Hctz 12.5mg capsules

Hctz 25mg tablets

Hctz 50mg tablets

Hemorrhoidal-hc 25mg suppository

Hydralazine 10mg tablets

Hydralazine 25mg tablets

Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg capsules

Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg tablets

Hydrochlorothiazide 50mg tablets


Hydrocortisone 1% cream 30gm

Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream 30gm

Hydrocortisone ac 25mg suppository

Hydroxyzine hcl10mg/5ml syrup

Hyoscyamine 0.125/ml drops

Hyoscyamine 0.125mg sublingual

Hyoscyamine 0.125mg tablets

Hyoscyamine 0.375 Er tablets

Ibuprofen 100/5ml suspension

Ibuprofen 400mg tablets

Ibuprofen 600mg tablets

Ibuprofen 800mg tablets

Indapamide 1.25mg tablets

Indapamide 2.5mg tablets

Indomethacin 25mg capsules

Isoniazid 300mg tablets

Isosorbide mono 30mg er tablets

Isosorbide mono 60mg er tablets

Klorcon 10 - 10meq er tablets

Klorcon 8 tablets 8meq er

Klorcon m10 tablets

Lactulose 10gm/15 syrup

Levothyroxin 100mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 112mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 125mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 150mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 175mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 25mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 50mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 75mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 88mcg tablets

Levothyroxin 200mcg tablets

Lidocaine 2% viscous solution

Lisinopril 10mg tablets

Lisinopril 2.5mg tablets

Lisinopril 20mg tablets

Lisinopril 5mg tablets

Lisinopril-hctz 10-12.5mg tablets

Lisinopril-hctz 20-12.5 tablets

Lisinopril-hctz 20-25mg tablets

Lithium carb 300mg capsules

Loratadine 10mg tablets

Loratadine 5mg/5ml syrup

Lovastatin 10mg tablets

Lovastatin 20mg tablets

Mag64 64mg tablets

Magnesium oxide 400mg tablets

Meclizine 12.5mg tablets

Meclizine 25mg tablets

Medroxyprogesterone ac 10mg tablets

Medroxyprogesterone ac 2.5mg tablets

Medroxyprogesterone ac 5mg tablets

Megestrol 20mg tablets

Meloxicam 15mg tablets

Meloxicam 7.5 mg tablets

Metformin 1000mg tablets

Metformin 500mg tablets

Metformin 500mg er tablets

Metformin 850mg tablets

Methyldopa 250mg tablets

Methyldopa 500mg tablets

Methylprednisolone 4mg tablets

Methylprednisolone 4mg dosepack

Metoclopramide 10mg tablets

Metoclopramide 5mg/5ml syrup

Metoprolol 100mg tablets

Metoprolol 25mg tablets

Metoprolol 50mg tablets

Metronidazole 250mg tablets

Metronidazole 500mg tablets

Multi vitamin 0.25mg chewable

Multi vitamin/fl/fe chewable

Multi vitbet /fl 1mg chewable

Multi vitbet 0.5mgfl chewable

Nadolol 20mg tablets

Nadolol 40mg tablets

Naproxen 375mg tablets

Naproxen 500mg tablets

Natalcare pic tablets

Natalcare plus tablets

Neo/poly/dex 0.1% opthalmic ointment

Neo/poly/dex 0.1% opthalmic suspension

Nortriptyline 10mg capsules

Nortriptyline 25mg capsules

Nystatin 100000u cream 15gm

Nystatin 100000u cream 30gm

Nystatin ointment 15gm

Nystatin ointment 30gm

Nystatin/triam ointment 15gm

Nystatin/triam cream 15gm

Nystatin/triam cream 30gm

Oxybutynin 5mg tablets

Paroxetine 10mg tablets

Paroxetine 20mg tablets

Penicillin vk 125/5ml solution 100ml

Penicillin vk 125/5ml solution 200ml

Penicillin vk 250/5ml solution 100ml

Penicillin vk 250/5ml solution 200ml

Penicillin vk 250mg tablets

Penicillin vk 500mg tablets

Phenazopyridine 100mg tablets

Phenazopyridine 200mg tablets

Pilocarpine 1% opthalmic solution

Pilocarpine 2% opthalmic solution

Pindolol 10mg tablets

Pindolol 5mg tablets

Piroxicam 20mg capsules

Polymixin sulf/tmp solution

Potassium chloride 10% liquid

Potassium chloride 8meq cr tablets

Potassium chloride 10meq tablets

Potassium chloride 10meq cr tablets


Potassium chloride 20meq/15 liquid

Pravastatin 10mg tablets

Pravastatin 20mg tablets

Pravastatin 40mg tablets

Prazosin hcl 1mg capsules

Prazosin hcl 2mg capsules

Prazosin hcl 5mg capsules

Prednisone 10mg dosepack 48ct

Prednisone 10mg tablets

Prednisone 10mg dosepack 21ct

Prednisone 2.5mg tablets

Prednisone 20mg tablets

Prednisone 5mg tablets

Prednisone 5mg dosepack 48ct

Prednisone 5mg 6 day dosepack

Prenatal rx tablets

Prenatal rx bad tablets

Prochlorperazine 10mg tablets

Promethazine dm syrup

Promethazine 25mg tablets

Promethazine 6.25/5ml syrup

Propranolol 10mg tablets

Propranolol 20mg tablets

Propranolol 40mg tablets

Propranolol 80mg tablets

Ranitidine 150mg tablets

Ranitidine 300mg tablets

Salsalate 500mg tablets

Selenium sul 2.5% lotion

Slow-magnesium 64mg tablets

Smz/tmp 200mg/40mg/5ml suspension

Smz/tmp 400mg/80mg tablets

Smz/tmp ds 800/160 tablets

Sod citrate/citr ac solution

Sod fluroide 0.25mg tablets


Sotalol hcl 80mg tablets

Spironolactone 25mg tablets

Sulfacetamide sod 10% opthalmic solution

Sulfamethoxazole 800-160mg tablets

Sulfatrim ped sus 120ml


Terazosin 10mg capsules

Terazosin 1mg capsules

Terazosin 2mg capsules

Terazosin 5mg capsules

Tetracycline 250mg capsules

Tetracycline 500mg capsules

Thioridazine 25mg tablets

Thioridazine 50mg tablets

Thiothixene 2mg capsules

Tobramycin 0.3% opthalmic solution

Tramadol hcl 50mg tablets

Trazodone 100mg tablets

Trazodone 150mg tablets

Trazodone 50mg tablets

Triamcinolone 0.025% cream 15gm

Triamcinolone 0.025% cream 80gm

Triamcinolone 0.1% cream 15gm

Triamcinolone 0.1% cream 30gm

Triamcinolone 0.1% cream 80gm

Triamcinolone 0.1% ointment 15gm

Triamcinolone 0.1% ointment 80gm

Triamcinolone 0.5% cream 15gm

Triam/hctz 37.5/25 capsules

Triamt/hctz 37.5/25 tablets

Triamt/hctz 75/50mg tablets

Trihexyphen 2mg tablets

Trivent dpc6215/5syrup

Verapamil 120mg tablets

Verapamil 80mg tablets

Warfarin 5mg tablets

Warfarin 5mg compliance pack

“We have seen that it has made a genuine, significant impact on our customers’ lives,” she said.

Also helped by the program is the nation’s largest retailer’s bottom line. H. Lee Scott, Jr., chief executive officer of the Bentonville, Ark., company, told analysts recently that the program performed better than expected and delivered double-digit percentage increases in sales for the firm’s pharmacies nationwide.

Giant Eagle officials, likewise, are pleased with that company’s $4 program. The chain provided several free generic antibiotics plus prescription cough and cold medicines during the winter, but has moved the free generics into the $4 category.

Spokesman Daniel Donovan of the Pittsburgh grocery chain, which has two metro Toledo stores, said the program has attracted new pharmacy customers and boosted pharmacy sales. Giant Eagle declined to provide figures.

Meijer, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., chose not to offer $4 generics. Instead, in October it began offering seven common antibiotics for free.

Spokesman Stacie Behler said the retailer has given away 750,000 prescriptions for those antibiotics, $9.2 million worth.

“It also increases loyalty and hopefully drives shoppers to us,” she said. “Do we think that this is driving folks to shop at Meijer who weren’t coming to Meijer? Maybe.”

The programs have not produced lower drug prices overall, nor have they had other apparent effects, industry experts said.

Lance Longwell, spokesman for IMS Health, a health care information and consulting company, said, “We’re not really seeing any noticeable impact or shift in prescription dispensing patterns … shifting to Wal-Mart or from Wal-Mart.”

Jason Kurtz, a spokesman for the parent firm of Bedford Laboratories and Roxanne Laboratories, which make generic drugs in Ohio, said the effects of $4 generics seem confined to the retailers and their customers.

“We haven’t seen a dramatic change in our sales,” he said. “It hasn’t helped or hurt us.”

Nonparticipants
Of note, the programs, which also are at Target Corp. stores, have not nudged the nation’s largest drugstore chains into offering $4 generics.
More than 95 percent of prescriptions Rite Aid Inc. processes are covered by insurance, and the average co-pay for drugs on Wal-Mart’s list is not much more than $4, said spokesman Jody Cook.

“We also have had a long-standing store price-matching policy,” she said. However, to get the lower price, the customer typically has to tell the pharmacist of another store’s price, and then the pharmacist has to verify it.

Spokesman for CVS Pharmacies and Walgreens Inc. had similar responses.

The $4 prescriptions were launched by Wal-Mart in September at stores in Tampa, Fla. The program was expanded nationwide in October.

Giant Eagle, Target, and B.J.’s Wholesale Club matched Wal-Mart, and Meijer, K-Mart, and Wegman’s supermarkets offered free or discounted generics.

Some touted it as a way to help cut the high cost of drugs, but critics were skeptical.

Criticism of lists
Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a national organization for health care consumers, still has doubts.

“I don’t yet know what impact this is having on the overall market,” he said. “But my assumption is it probably will encourage greater use and lower costs for generic drugs, and I think that’s good.”

Mr. Longwell, of IMS Health, said a large criticism lobbed at the retailers is that their claim to have lists of more than 300 generics is deceiving.

Many of the drugs are the same, listed separately in varying strengths or in liquid and solid form. About 140 different drugs are on the list, he said.

And many of those, he said, are used to treat the same medical condition. That reduces the list to about 30, he added.

Larry Kocot, of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the criticisms are hard to justify because people are benefitting and no one is being hurt.

“I really do think that it was an interesting market play to attract certain consumers through a low-price generic program,” he said. “But the bottom line is some beneficiaries are saving money.”

Mr. Kocot, a senior adviser in the agency which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the $4 generics have helped older citizens getting medication through Medicare’s Part D. The standard benefit charges participants a 25 percent co-pay.

“They would be paying $2.50 with a $10 generic drug. But with a $4 generic they only have had to pay a $1,” he said.

Awareness of generics
One unmeasurable benefit that the $4 generic plans may be creating is greater awareness and understanding of generic drugs.

Doctors and nurses at the Oregon Clinic Inc., which specializes in geriatric medicine, keep a list of the $4 and free generics offered locally. Clinic officials tell patients where they can save money on prescriptions.

“We do we tell them about it as often as we can. It helps them out a lot,” said Peggy Knect, clinic office manager.

Meanwhile, at the Sylvania Senior Center on West Sylvania Avenue, program coordinator Susan Jennelle found that only two of six senior citizens she recently asked were aware of the $4 programs. The group said they would be willing to consider them.

Six months ago, seniors at the center avoided the programs, fearing they were not reliable.

“I think they’re now convinced enough to look into it,” Ms. Jennelle said.

Contact Jon Chavez at:jchavez@theblade.comor 419-724-6128.

See the drug list for area stores.


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