How do Walmart's $4 drugs stack up to modern day drugs?

[JEDI]

Walmart's $4 drugs are generics, which means their patent expired. that means the drugs were created 15+ years ago.

Anyone know how that list of 200 drugs compare in effectiveness to the modern day equivalent?

ie:
sure it's worth it if the modern drug is only 20% more effective. but if it's 10x more effective, i'd pay the extra $ for it. (assuming i dont have insurance)

 

[Slew Foot]

From what Ive seen of the list of meds, they're mostly first line drugs for basic medical needs, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc... They work just fine, but they're pretty cheap to begin with so WM isnt really doing you many favors.

 

[ElFenix]

most are probably just as effective, just with different/nastier side effects.

for example, all those cox 2 inhibitors are only just as good at pain relief as, say, aspirin. but they don't cause ulcers. now we've figured out they cause heart attacks instead.

as another example, nexium is exactly the same thing as the previous pill that came off patent

 

[tweakmm]

:laugh:

The drugs may have been created more than 15 years ago, but the pills sold at Walmart were made recently.

 

[mzkhadir]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Walmart's $4 drugs are generics, which means their patent expired. that means the drugs were created 15+ years ago.

Anyone know how that list of 200 drugs compare in effectiveness to the modern day equivalent?

ie:
sure it's worth it if the modern drug is only 20% more effective. but if it's 10x more effective, i'd pay the extra $ for it. (assuming i dont have insurance)

Here is the drug list: http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericdruglist.pdf
Check here to see if your state is participating: http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericstatelist.pdf

 

[mzkhadir]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Walmart's $4 drugs are generics, which means their patent expired. that means the drugs were created 15+ years ago.

Anyone know how that list of 200 drugs compare in effectiveness to the modern day equivalent?

ie:
sure it's worth it if the modern drug is only 20% more effective. but if it's 10x more effective, i'd pay the extra $ for it. (assuming i dont have insurance)

The first name I saw on the drug list was a generic for the allergy drug, which is about 8 bucks at walgreens and here its 4 and which work the same

 

[ponyo]

Same active ingredients so basically the same drug. Drugs now days are all about marketing. Drug companies spend billions on advertising and bribing lawmakers. I knew drugs companies would make a comeback when they basically bribed Congress to pass the medicare drug coverage plan late last year.

 

[Shawn]

generic drugs are exactly the same as brand name.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Shawn
generic drugs are exactly the same as brand name.

yes, the chemical makeup is the same, a name brand doesn't add extra chemicals to a drug

 

[msparish]

Originally posted by: Shawn
generic drugs are exactly the same as brand name.

That's not what the OP is asking about. As for the OP's question...it depends on the drug. Many "new" drugs are really the old drugs but with some new feature like extended release. On the other hand, some newer drugs are a marked improvement over older generations and have fewer side effects.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: msparish

Originally posted by: Shawn
generic drugs are exactly the same as brand name.

That's not what the OP is asking about.

then the OP question makes no sense

a doctor prescribes a drug, is he asking if doctors are prescribing the wrong drugs?

 

[SearchMaster]

The OP's question made perfect sense to me. "Since these drugs were invented at least 15 years ago, have newer better drugs been created since?"

My answer: if there is something available that works 10x better and your doctor prescribes the crappy one, the problem is your doctor and not Walmart.

I'm not a huge Walmart fan (the book "The Walmart Effect" will do that to you), but I applaud this move. There are a lot of people that cannot afford prescription drugs because they are not on an insurance plan that allows it. Case in point: my father pays $3/pill for Celebrex. So a 90 day supply is $270. I would pay $20 (or $30, forget the copay) for the same 90 day supply. How much of a difference would it make for my father if the patent expired and Walmart could sell the same 90 supply for $12 or $15 instead?

 

[mdbound]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Walmart's $4 drugs are generics, which means their patent expired. that means the drugs were created 15+ years ago.

Anyone know how that list of 200 drugs compare in effectiveness to the modern day equivalent?

ie:
sure it's worth it if the modern drug is only 20% more effective. but if it's 10x more effective, i'd pay the extra $ for it. (assuming i dont have insurance)

That's not usually how drugs work. Most NEW drugs aren't necessarily more effective or even have fewer side-effects....they are just NEW. Just because something is new does not mean it's better; simply different (and maybe not even that as there are a lot of copy-cat drugs).

Drug companies want you to believe new is better. They are hoping that you draw positive conclusions, especially about adverse effects, from their advertising. Most drugs are released after extensive testing, but still new things pop up all of the time in "Phase 4" trials, which means trials on the general public after the drug has been FDA approved. Thus, we don't always know about all of the effects of a drug (especially long-term effects). And, not knowing about a particular adverse effect is not the same as the effect not existing. ElFenix's example about Cox-2 Inhibitors and their increased cardiovascular toxicities is a prime example of a side-effect that only became apparent after LOTS of people used the drugs (so the data is sufficiently "powered") and used them for a LONG period of time.

Using older, more proven drugs could actually be safer, as people have more experience with them and with identifying/treating their side-effects.

Looking at the list, they have some really good drugs on the list that I prescribe all of the time. Some of the "cooler" drugs on the list (generic of course), Paxil, Prozac, and Celexa; Claritin, Diflucan (trade costs $15 per tablet!), etc. Overall, I'd say the list includes about 65-85% of what a typical primary doctor would prescribe, which is not bad. Overall, I think this is great....makes it much easier to practice medicine overall.

MD.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: JEDI
Walmart's $4 drugs are generics, which means their patent expired. that means the drugs were created 15+ years ago.

Anyone know how that list of 200 drugs compare in effectiveness to the modern day equivalent?

ie:
sure it's worth it if the modern drug is only 20% more effective. but if it's 10x more effective, i'd pay the extra $ for it. (assuming i dont have insurance)

They are dusty old relics left over from medieval times.

 

[fire400]

college-

-I don't have a medicine cabinet

-my old social studies teacher once said:
"if you don't have time for the hospital, then don't get sick." -ever since then, I've been showing up to work sick, and for the times I needed days off of work, I called in sick for vacation days.

-alright, well, the only time I took medicine was when I still lived with my parents. you know, cough syrup or something, perhaps advil if I really needed it. but I mean, if I'm having a head ache, the real cure is getting some rest and eating your fruits and vegatables.

-soldiers during time of war, medics ran out of IV injections. used water instead. soldiers claimed to have been getting better. it's believing. a lot of people have seriously bad dieting habbits, like going to McDonald's when they have the flu, and still trying to take medicine they got from Walgreens. I mean, if you eat right and sleep right, you don't have to rely on drugs to feel better. obviously, this ties in with a marketting campaign that cigarettes used, they targeted underage teens, however only adults could buy them? same thing with the commercials, shows people getting stressed out, so they need their "head-ache" pills during or after work to feel better. I've seen dedicated teachers who went to college and worked full time, graduated fast - and they work way harder than most people I know, never took medication for minor head aches or did drugs or went to parties to get drunk.

it's funny you know, you see people in their 30's and 40's already seeing doctors in result of illnesses that they acquired in result of the lifestyles they lived in the past, not exercising enough and definetely not eating the right foods, for example. they they have to suscribe to seeing the doctors more often and have to purchase pills from the pharmacy. it's a growing trend with many parents, and their kids will only follow. how sad is that?

I mean, soar throat spray isn't bad, it helps replenish the throat from a sickness. but things you could prevent from health risks are just the beginning. a lot of health experts today say that proper nutrition is way of avoiding the pills in the future.

prime example of what large drug companies do not want you to hear. too bad people are too damn lazy to study it for themselves, the industry is rich, and their advertising will call on the weak minded for increased profit.

then again, the development is good. so if you need to spend money on pills, know that a chunk of it is going towards the government, research facilities, and many CEO's soup'd up Jaguar's, but not limited to.

 

[ForumMaster]

Walmart = cheap crap

it may work, but it's probablly better and safer to pay the extra $$ just to be safe.

 

[sswingle]

I always opt for the generic if there is a choice. And you can get generics anywhere, not just wally world.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster
Walmart = cheap crap

it may work, but it's probablly better and safer to pay the extra $$ just to be safe.

you don't really have a clue with that statement. you get generic drugs automatically with every prescription unless your doc signs the line for it to be dispensed as written.
generic drugs are therapeutic equivalents to the same formula of brand-name drug.
it's not like buying a box of generic cereal which doesn't have the same taste as the brand name one you are used to. generic drugs are indistinguishable effective-wise as compared to the brand name.

so it's not better or safer to pay the extra for brand name prescription drugs or go elsewhere for the generic ones cause you think WalMart will have lower quality generic drugs - that's just stupid.

the $4 prescription drugs WalMart is offering are a great bargain without a quality compromise at all.

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: ForumMaster
Walmart = cheap crap

it may work, but it's probablly better and safer to pay the extra $$ just to be safe.

you don't really have a clue with that statement. you get generic drugs automatically with every prescription unless your doc signs the line for it to be dispensed as written.
generic drugs are therapeutic equivalents to the same formula of brand-name drug.
it's not like buying a box of generic cereal which doesn't have the same taste as the brand name one you are used to. generic drugs are indistinguishable effective-wise as compared to the brand name.

so it's not better or safer to pay the extra for brand name prescription drugs or go elsewhere for the generic ones cause you think WalMart will have lower quality generic drugs - that's just stupid.

the $4 prescription drugs WalMart is offering are a great bargain without a quality compromise at all.

QFT
I wish my states walmart would jump on this. JUst on my wifes inhaler alone I would save over half, and she uses now the OTC generic Equate inhaler that costs $8.XX. she can go get a prescription again and then we can only pay $4. Not including what I could save on the 12 different pills that I have to take everyday OOOOOOO Talk about a savings just on my BP and Diabetic meds alone.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: funboy42

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: ForumMaster
Walmart = cheap crap

it may work, but it's probablly better and safer to pay the extra $$ just to be safe.

you don't really have a clue with that statement. you get generic drugs automatically with every prescription unless your doc signs the line for it to be dispensed as written.
generic drugs are therapeutic equivalents to the same formula of brand-name drug.
it's not like buying a box of generic cereal which doesn't have the same taste as the brand name one you are used to. generic drugs are indistinguishable effective-wise as compared to the brand name.

so it's not better or safer to pay the extra for brand name prescription drugs or go elsewhere for the generic ones cause you think WalMart will have lower quality generic drugs - that's just stupid.

the $4 prescription drugs WalMart is offering are a great bargain without a quality compromise at all.

QFT
I wish my states walmart would jump on this. JUst on my wifes inhaler alone I would save over half, and she uses now the OTC generic Equate inhaler that costs $8.XX. she can go get a prescription again and then we can only pay $4. Not including what I could save on the 12 different pills that I have to take everyday OOOOOOO Talk about a savings just on my BP and Diabetic meds alone.

Wal-Mart is rolling it out slowly and adding more states. They just added Georgia the other day. I'm sure you're state will be added soon.

 

[j00fek]

looking at it, most drugs cast that with deductables

 

[tw1164]

Originally posted by: j00fek
looking at it, most drugs cast that with deductables

assuming you have Rx coverage

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Slew Foot
From what Ive seen of the list of meds, they're mostly first line drugs for basic medical needs, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc... They work just fine, but they're pretty cheap to begin with so WM isnt really doing you many favors.

Four dollar medicine isn't doing you any favors? Strange.

 

[d0ofy]

Generics are most of the time made by the same company as the Brand-named equivalent. For instance, Flonase's patent recently ran out and now the generic is the same exact drug from the same plant, but this time it has an orange cap instead of a green one.

 

[Slap]

Originally posted by: d0ofy
Generics are most of the time made by the same company as the Brand-named equivalent. For instance, Flonase's patent recently ran out and now the generic is the same exact drug from the same plant, but this time it has an orange cap instead of a green one.

Yeah I now use the generic for flonase. My RX insurance gives us generic for free. Preferred meds are $25 or $35 co pays.