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Prescription Drug Information

Generic drugs: What's in a name?

The Food and Drug Administration has rules in force to ensure that every generic drug contains the same components as its brand-name equivalent. All generic drugs must have the same quality, strength, purity and stability as their counterparts. Generics use the same active ingredients, are shown to act in the same way in the body, and have the same risk-benefit profile as a brand name drug. The difference is the cost. A prescription filled with a generic drug will cost, on average, $40 less per prescription.

The chart below lists the 10 most expensive brand name drugs that have a generic equivalent available. When you receive a prescription from your doctor, ask for generic. It will save you money. Updated April 9, 2008

.Brand name
Brand Average
Wholesale
Price (AWP)
 .Generic name
 
Generic
Cost
Generic Savings
PROZAC 20 MG $169.20 FLUOXETINE HCL 20MG  $2.85  $166.35 
ZOCOR 20MG $164.01 SIMVASTATIN 20MG  $12.00  $152.01 
WELLBUTRIN XL 150 MG $159.00 BUPROPION EXT REL $25.95  $133.05 
PRILOSEC 20 MG $143.45 OMEPRAZOLE 20 MG  $19.50  $123.95
ZANTAC 150MG $111.33 RANITIDINE HCL 150MG $3.30 $108.03
IMDUR 60MG $96.30 ISOSORBIDE MONONITRATE 60 MG $4.65 $91.65
BUSPAR 15 MG $89.52 BUSPIRONE HCL 15MG $6.60 $82.92
DARVOCET-N 100 100; 650 MG $80.34 PROPOXYPHENE/ACETAMINOPHEN 100-650MG $4.05 $76.29
FLONASE $103.01 FLUTICASONE PROPIONATE $28.16 $74.85
ALLEGRA 180 MG $109.67 FEXOFENADINE HCL 180 MG $40.50 $69.17

How much can you save?

The rising cost of health care is an issue currently impacting Oklahoma and the entire nation. And one of the main drivers of health costs is the rising cost of prescription drugs. Pharmaceuticals are an important part of health care. Medications can improve quality of life, enhance health and prevent costly hospitalizations. But health care consumers must educate themselves about appropriate, less expensive alternatives to brand name medications, including generic drugs.

Questions health care consumers should ask themselves are:

> Is there a generic version for the drug I have been prescribed?
> Would an over-the-counter treatment be just as effective?

Additional information

Tools for business leaders

Download posters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for your employees and learn what everyone can do to hold down the rising cost of health care. If you need production-quality .PDF files for these posters, e-mail Nicole Amend. Please include contact information and the name or description of the file(s) you are requesting in the text of your message.

The story behind the rising cost of prescription drugs [79 KB]
Articles from our member education series. Blue Cross and Blue Shield group leaders and appointed producers may download and reproduce the unedited articles in their own newsletters.