by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Oct 10, 2013 | Drug Importation, Online Pharmacy Verification Services, Rogue Online Pharmacies
The dangers of “rogue” international online pharmacies that sell fake or substandard medication go beyond just those affecting your health. Rogues are also known for playing loose with your personal information, including fraudulently charging your credit card or even selling the information to other scammers.
The DEA has issued a press release warning about criminals impersonating DEA special agents in an attempt to extort Americans who may have purchased medication from disreputable websites. The scammers, posing as DEA agents, call consumers and inform them that they have committed a crime in their online or telephone purchase of pharmaceuticals, sometimes citing illegal drug importation. The scammer then insists that the consumer pay a “fine” or face criminal prosecution. The reality is that DEA agents will never personally call a person to demand any form of payment. If you receive one of these bogus calls just refuse their demand and report the rogue activity to the DEA.
Keep in mind that the DEA is primarily concerned with controlled substances, such as Ambien and Oxycontin. Any penalties for ordering non-controlled medication would be served by the FDA and the FDA has never prosecuted or fined an individual for personally importing medications.
This scam is nothing new, and is a reminder that Americans looking to purchase medication from international online pharmacies should be aware of the difference between a potentially dangerous pharmacy and a legitimate one. You can view information on how to identify a fake online pharmacy here. Also, keep in mind that reputable international online pharmacies do not sell controlled drugs to Americans.
If you’re looking for a safe, international online pharmacy, one that will only sell you genuine medication and protract your personal and financial information, then stick to PharmacyChecker.com-verified sites. You can view a list of some verified pharmacies on our website.
Tagged with: DEA, online pharmacy telephone scam, rogue online pharmacies
by PharmacyChecker.com | Oct 4, 2013 | Drug Importation, Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies
A weekly series identifying prescription drugs manufactured in America and their prices.
Lotemax (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension) is a prescription-only medication used for the treatment of steroid-responsive inflammatory conditions of the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea, and anterior segment of the globe. It is also used to reduce inflammation following ocular surgery. Lotemax is manufactured in the U.S., but its prices are several times more expensive in pharmacies here compared to those in other countries. You can save 84% by ordering it from a verified foreign online pharmacy: one 5 ml vial of Lotemax costs $188 at a Rite-Aid in New York City, but only $30 from a PharmacyChecker.com-approved pharmacy.
Tagged with: American Made Prescriptions Are Cheaper Abroad, Lotemax
by Gabriel Levitt, Vice President, PharmacyChecker.com and Sam Werbalowsky, Pharmacychecker.com | Oct 2, 2013 | Drug Importation, Healthcare Reform, Online Pharmacies, Politics
This past Monday, we reported that average savings from international online pharmacies are now 87% on popular brand name meds, up from 85% a year ago. As Americans gain access to health insurance through state exchanges under Obamacare, which kicked off yesterday, will there still be a need for the international online pharmacy option?
Yes.
It may come as a surprise, but international online pharmacies benefit people with insurance, not just the uninsured. If a plan does not cover a drug, or has a high deductible or co-pay, ordering from abroad may help those on that particular plan. Fortunately, new health plans will help millions of Americans afford needed medication at neighborhood pharmacies, but some will continue to fall through the cracks.
Twenty-one percent of Americans with prescription benefits skipped filling a prescription in 2012 because of high prices, according to the Commonwealth Fund. Therefore, unless drug prices unexpectedly come down in America, we can predict that millions of Americans will still struggle with high drug prices in the U.S., and that many of them will seek relief from international online pharmacies.
There are other reasons that Americans can’t count on Obamacare to improve their access to affordable medication, especially in 2014. Due to a delay in implementing Obamacare’s spending cap of $6,350 a year, insurance plans that use more than one benefits administrator will not be subject to the cap next year. Instead, they will apply the cap to each benefit separately. Thus, Americans choosing an insurance plan that works with an independent pharmacy benefit manager may see one cap for doctor and hospital visits of $6,350 and another cap of $6,350 for medication! See our blog post “Obamacare Out-of-Pocket Cost Delays A Bad Prescription for Consumers” for more information on this topic.
Last but not least, the new plans may leave you with huge out-of-pocket drug costs if you take expensive medications. A report in the New York Times shows that plans in some states will require patients to pay as much as 50% of a drug’s cost. Depending on the medication, 50% of a drug’s price can be prohibitive for many Americans. The Times article mentions the drug Tecfidera, which costs $4,000 a month; many Americans will struggle to make the initial payments of $2,000 or more before their out-of-pocket limit is reached.
We believe that over time Obamacare will succeed in helping millions of Americans afford medical care, including prescription medication. But the road ahead is a long one and we can’t let tens of millions continue to go without medication in the years to come. Fortunately, the lifeline of safe personal drug importation through verified international online pharmacies is available. If you choose to order from abroad, make sure you only order form a credentialed, verified pharmacy, such as those listed on PharmacyChecker.com.
We will continue to monitor and report on how Obamacare affects drug prices and access by Americans to prescription medication.
Tagged with: Commonwealth Fund, New York Times, Obamacare, out-of-pocket costs
by PharmacyChecker.com | Sep 30, 2013 | Drug Prices, Healthcare Reform, Online Pharmacies, Politics
Insured Americans, including those on Medicare, too often find that the brand name drugs they are prescribed are not covered by their plans. That population of underinsured Americans may increase under Obamacare. Fortunately, they will find that drug prices offered by international online pharmacies are often 87% lower than their local pharmacies. These prices seem too good to be true, so you might be asking how this is possible. It’s simple: governments in other countries negotiate with drug companies to keep drug prices affordable. Licensed pharmacies in those countries operate online and by mail-order to serve Americans seeking medications sold here at a much lower price. Here are the savings on popular drugs:
Prices for a 3-month supply of top-selling brand name medications*
| Drug |
Local Pharmacy Price |
International Online Pharmacy Price |
International Online Savings |
Annual Dollar Savings |
| Abilify 10 mg+ |
$2,582.97 |
$331.20 |
87.18% |
$9,007.08 |
| Advair Diskus 250-50 mcg |
$1,061.97 |
$108.00 |
89.83% |
$3,815.88 |
| Celebrex 200 mg |
$692.97 |
$104.00 |
84.99% |
$2,355.88 |
| Crestor 20 mg+ |
$713.97 |
$74.00 |
89.64% |
$2,559.88 |
| Cymbalta 60 mg+ |
$878.97 |
$90.00 |
89.76% |
$3,155.88 |
| Diovan 160 mg+ |
$475.99 |
$62.10 |
86.95% |
$1,655.56 |
| Januvia 100 mg+ |
$1,026.00 |
$131.40+ |
87.19% |
$3,578.40 |
| Namenda 10 mg++ |
$1,049.97 |
$210.60 |
79.94% |
$3,357.48 |
| Nexium 40 mg+ |
$878.97 |
$67.50 |
92.32% |
$3,245.88 |
| Spiriva Handihaler 18 mcg |
$1,115.97 |
$132.15 |
88.16% |
$3,935.28 |
| Average |
$1,047.78 |
$131.10 |
87.60% |
$3,666.72 |
*Sources: Local pharmacy — Rite Aid in New York City; International online pharmacies – lowest prices found on www.PharmacyChecker.com from verified websites. +price calculated from 84 pills. ++price calculated from 100 pills.
Obamacare will help tens of millions of Americans afford prescriptions at the local pharmacy next year, and even more so into the future. However, with 21% of insured Americans going without medication due to high drug prices, we’re proud to offer useful information to help people afford the medication they are prescribed to stay healthy, get better, and live longer.
Tagged with: Obamacare, under-insured
by PharmacyChecker.com | Sep 27, 2013 | Drug Importation, Drug Prices, Online Pharmacies
Tarceva 150 mg packaging
A weekly series identifying prescription drugs manufactured in America and their prices.
Tarceva (erlotinib) is a drug used for treatment of certain types of non-small cell lung cancer as well as pancreatic cancer. Cancer medications are known for their excessively high prices, leading to outcries among doctors within the past few years. A product of drug company Roche, Tarceva is manufactured in the U.S.A. and available at much lower prices from verified international online pharmacies than here at home. At a New York City Rite-Aid, it costs $6,531 for 30 pills (100 mg). From a PharmacyChecker.com approved international pharmacy, it’s only $1,949. That’s a $4,582 savings, or 70%.
Check back next week for the savings on another American drug available abroad.
Tagged with: American Made Prescriptions Are Cheaper Abroad, Cancer medication, Tarceva
by Gabriel Levitt, President, PharmacyChecker.com and Prescription Justice | Sep 25, 2013 | Drug Safety
Drug safety topics on this blog usually relate to online pharmacies and the dangers posed by rogue sites selling bad meds or real prescription meds sold online but without requiring your prescription; and personal drug importation and the importance of only buying from credentialed online pharmacies. Today I read about the many deaths caused by overdoses of acetaminophen, a popular over-the-counter (OTC) pain-reliever, and felt moved to remind our readers to use great care when taking all medication. Whether or not a drug requires a prescription, in protection of your health, you are responsible for taking medicine as directed, whether by your doctor or on the label of an OTC product.
ProPublica, a non-profit investigative media organization, reported that over 1,500 Americans had died over the past decade from ingesting acetaminophen, usually because they took more than the recommended amounts. Their research is highly critical of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for moving too slowly to safeguard American from taking too much acetaminophen, whereas other countries have done a much better job. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of Johnson and Johnson, the makers of Tylenol, which is a leading brand of acetaminophen, is also criticized by ProPublica for hiding research about the medication’s dangers. This is not a criticism of the medication acetaminophen, as ProPublica is clear to point out its benefits and that many medical professionals stand by it – and for good reasons, it helps adults and children reduce their fevers and feel better.
Central to ProPublica’s criticisms is that the medication’s warnings do not include death as a side-effect of taking slightly more than the recommended doses. This is all the more important since studies show that other pain-relievers and fever-reducers, such as Ibuprofen do not cause death at such high rates.
People have sued McNeil and lost because their loved ones who died took more than the recommended dose of Tylenol. The parents of one child who died argued that the label did not warn that death could occur. Our hearts go out in abundance to these parents. To avoid such tragedies, the most important reminder here is that drug safety is often about following directions and is often a matter of life or death.
Tagged with: acetaminophen, OTC, propublica
