Wal-Mart expands low-price drug program

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/5/08 | Peggy Harris - ap

[NormsRevenge]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, announced Monday it would expand its discounted prescription drug program to offer 90-day supplies for $10 and add several women's medications at a discount. It also said it would lower the price of more than 1,000 over-the-counter drugs.

The move marks the third phase of a company program that began in 2006 to provide a 30-day supply of generic prescription drugs for $4. The Bentonville-based company said the program has saved customers more than $1 billion.

With the expansion, the company began filling prescriptions Monday for up to 350 generic medications at $10 for a 90-day supply at Wal-Mart, Neighborhood Market and Sam's Club pharmacies in the U.S. Almost all the prescription generics in the company's $4 program were included in the expanded $10 offer, said Wal-Mart senior vice president John Agwunobi.

In addition, the company will add several women's medications to its list of prescriptions available for $9, including drugs to treat breast cancer and hormone deficiency.

For instance, alendronate, the generic version of osteoporosis medication Fosamax, will be added to the list. Company pharmacies will fill 30-day prescriptions of alendronate for $9 and a 90-day supply for $24 at a comparison of $54 and $102, respectively, that women previously paid for the same amounts, the company said.

Tamoxifen, used to treat breast cancer, will be offered for $9 for a 30-day supply, as well as combination estrogen/methyltestosterone tablets, prescribed for menopause and hormone deficiency.

Wal-Mart also will lower the prices of more than 1,000 over-the-counter medications to $4 or less in its pharmacies, company officials said. The company has sold over-the-counter medicines in the past at discounted prices, but revised and expanded its offerings specifically to include commonly used drugs that usually sell for $7 or more, said company spokesman Deisha Galberth.

The over-the-counter medication price rollbacks represent about one-third of the retailer's over-the-counter medicines. They include Wal-Mart's Equate versions of popular drugs, including Zantac, Pepcid and Claritin, and Wal-Mart's Spring Valley prenatal vitamins.

Since 2006, Wal-Mart's $4 generic drug program has expanded to every state, except North Dakota, where Wal-Mart has no in-store pharmacies. And many company competitors have followed the retailer's lead.

While stressing that the expansion was designed to help customers at a time of exorbitant health-care costs and difficult economic times, Agwunobi said the program has worked in everyone's favor.

"This is the time for us now to begin building capacity," he said. "It offers (customers') employers potential savings. It offers the customers significant savings. It also offers us the ability to add capacity to our pharmacies without adding people."

Agwunobi expects the 90-day discount will increase the company's market share of mail-order and online prescriptions as customers realize the value of the company offer.

Wal-Mart Chief Operating Officer Bill Simon said the results in each phase of the program have been strong and prescription volume has increased, "exceeding our expectations." He said the company would not, however, offer free generic drugs at its in-store clinics as some competitors have.

"We're in business to make money," Simon said. "Free is a price that is not a long-term sustainable proposition."

Shares of Wal-Mart fell 53 cents to $56.97 Monday.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Lousy corporate bastards. < \Democrat>

[Vinnie]

Pretty soon there’s going to be Sam’s Choice Viagra ROFL.

I'll wait for Mrs. Sam''s Choice. :^)

[FORTRUTHONLY]

They are in a position to build their own plants and set their own standards anywhere in the world they want.

That is the problem, the Chinese have no standards, no way to control their products and ensure their safety and quality and accuracy of the dose. So let's hope that the next drug recall will not affect you. Playing RUssian roulette with your health is your right. Good luck!

[ViLaLuz]

“I’m betting their in-store clinics will also put the hospitals to shame too.”

CVS already has the in-store clinics in select stores.

[kempo]

We have a few here like you who pose as conservatives who love to bash Wal-Mart no matter what they do. Have a nice day liberal.

[FORTRUTHONLY]

We have a few here like you who pose as conservatives who love to bash Wal-Mart no matter what they do. Have a nice day liberal.

Unless you have clear arguments about my post please refrain yourself from insulting me. I was very detailed in my post to give you a hint that pharmaceutical/healthcare field is my forte and my background. Instead, unable to carry on in a polite and adult way you react with an unilateral conclusion (and the incorrect one for that matter) and you declare me be a persona non grata. I wonder if you are man enough to apologize but I doubt it.

[raybbr]

Do you have link to back up your assertion that these drugs offered by WM are made in China. I made that assertion here at work and was told “They have to be made here. They are approved by the FDA!”.

I would like to show the person who told me that the information. Thanks.

[FORTRUTHONLY]

There is no such link, this is strictly based on my medical and pharmacology background and my dealings with other healthcare providers. WalMart's wholesaler's is McKesson and they have special purchases from China. As I stated, when you fill your meds anywhere ask to see the original bottle. The country of origin is listed on it unless it's a pre-pack and then we're all out of gas. As far as the assertion that all meds have to be made in US, it's incompletely inaccurate. Meds (prescription, over-the-counter and supplements) can be produced anywhere in the world as long as they meet our specifications. In order to meet the FDA's specs the manufacturer, on occasion, may get an inspector. Usually signed affidavits is enough for foreign medicine to be dispensed in our country. It's the same thing as checking every single container which comes through our ports: mission impossible. Usually the issues with recalled meds come up upon many adverse reactions reported specifically to a certain brand/manufacturer. There are no check points. Now think about this, the FDA's argument about banning anyone getting meds from Canada or Mexico is because they are not sure about their safety but they are the first to admit it that they cannot ensure the same safety for legally imported drugs (and again, I am referring to India and China mostly, I have no issues with European manufacturers).

[John W]

“...they can afford crushing down mom and pop’s small pharmacies...”

Around here the big pharmacies already took care of that long ago.