Table 1

Comparison of the prices of the 10 best-selling prescription drugs in America with prices in Canada,Great Britain, Australia and Mexico.

Drug

Condition

U.S.A

Canada

Great Britain

Australia

Mexico

Prilosec

Heartburn/Ulcer

$3.31

$1.47

$1.67

$1.29

$0.99

Prozac

Depression

$2.27

$1.07

$1.08

$0.82

$0.79

Lipitor

High cholesterol

$2.54

$1.34

$1.67

$1.32

$3.60

Prevacid

Ulcer

$3.13

$1.34

$0.82

$0.83

$1.18

Epogen

Anemia

$23.40

$21.44

$27.48

$29.24

N/A

Zocor

High cholesterol

$3.16

$1.47

$1.73

$1.75

$3.66

Zoloft

Depression

$1.98

$1.07

$0.95

$0.84

$1.96

Zyprexa

Mood Disorder

$5.27

$3.39

$2.86

$2.63

N/A

Claritin

Allergies

$1.96

$1.11

$0.41

$0.48

$0.92

Paxil

Depression

$2.22

$1.13

$1.70

$0.82

$1.83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source:  USA Today November 10, 1999  based on data from IMS Health: drugstore.com; Ontario Ministry of Health; November Monthly Index of Medical Specialties, Haymarket Medical Ltd., London; Australia Health Insurance Commission; Farmacia Rio Grande



 

Table 2

Ranitidine (Zantac)

Source: Dr. K Balasubramaniam. "Retail Prices in the Asia-Pacific Region" HAI News, No. 86; December 1995. Published by Health Action International

Country

Dose

Manufacturer

Brand Name/Generic

Price*

Australia

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$20

Bangladesh

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$5

Bangladesh

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$33

Belgium

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$128

Canada

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$31

Canada

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$81

Colombia

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$44

Colombia

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$47

Finland

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$156

Germany

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$67

Germany

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$149

Greece

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

1

$71

Hong Kong

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$119

India

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$3

India

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$3

Indonesia

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$150

Italy

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$77

Malaysia

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$86

Mexico

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$18

Mexico

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$57

Nepal

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$3

Nepal

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$3

Netherlands

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$131

New Zealand

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$52

Pakistan

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$14

Pakistan

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$39

Philippines

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

1

$95

Sri Lanka

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$63

Switzerland

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$284

Thailand

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$20-40

Thailand

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

1

$74-132

UK

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

1

$73

US

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$169

Western Samoa

150 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$28

Western Samoa

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

Zantac

$71

Zimbabwe

150 mg/100 tab

Glaxo

1

$87

 

Table 3

Amoxicillin (Amoxicillin, Amoxil, Trimox)

Source: Dr. K Balasubramaniam. "Retail Prices in the Asia-Pacific Region" HAI News, No. 86; December 1995. Published by Health Action International

Country

Dose

Manufacturer

Brand Name/Generic

Price*

Australia

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$37

Australia

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$40

Bangladesh

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$6-9

Belgium

250 mg/100 tab

-

-

-

Canada

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$8

Canada

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$14

China

150 mg/100 tab

~

~

~

Colombia

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$27

Colombia

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$37

Finland

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$86

France

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$39

France

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$37

Germany

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$60

Greece

250 mg/100 tab

-

-

-

Hong Kong

250 mg/100 tab

-

-

-

India

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$9

India

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$10

Indonesia

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$10

Indonesia

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$40

Italy

250 mg/100 tab

-

genericl

$16

Latvia

250 mg/100 tab

~

generic

$8

Latvia

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$18

Malaysia

250 mg/100 tab

-

genericl

$16

Malaysia

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$34

Mexico

250 mg/100 tab

-

-

-

Nepal

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$8

Nepal

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$10

Netherlands

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$22

Netherlands

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$40

New Zealand

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$22

New Zealand

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$22

Pakistan

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$5

Pakistan

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$8

Phillipines

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$22

Phillipines

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$29

Sri Lanka

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$4

Sri Lanka

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$24

Switzerland

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$104

Tanzania

150 mg/100 tab

~

~

~

Thailand

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$5-24

Thailand

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$17-26

UK

250 mg/100 tab

 

generic

$7

UK

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$27

US

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$20

US

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$36

US

250 mg/100 tab

Apothecon

Trimox

$24

Western Samoa

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$11

Western Samoa

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$30

Zimbabwe

250 mg/100 tab

-

generic

$10

Zimbabwe

250 mg/100 tab

SmithKline Beecham

Amoxil

$24

 

 

Table 4

Selected HIV Drug Prices from International Parallel Importers

Source of data is Informedica, in British Pounds, ex. VAT) .  Presented October 6, 1997 in comments on Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Bill andSouth African Reform of Pharmaceutical Policies to the Portfolio Committee on Health Parliament, Cape Town.  

Generic

Brand


firm


Presentation

UK list

Best UK

(contract)

Best Euro

(hospital)

UK I

PI

UK II

PI

Denmark

PI

Spain

PI

USA

PI

 

 

 

(£)

(£)

(£)

(£)

(£)

(£)

(£)

(£)

Zidovudin Retrovir

Glaxo

250 mg / 40 cap. Package

124.95

108

53.5

85.22

99

81.82

81.02

 

Lamivudin Epivir

GW

150 mg tab / 60 tab package

171.3

150

89.16

141.32

138

109.27

 

117.99

Saquinavir Inverase

Roche

200 mg cap / 270 cap pack

331.28

298

207.13

229.58

285

203.15

239.1

292.95

Zalcitabin HIVID

Roche

750 mg tab / 100 tab pack

158.71

138

100

125.7

130

119.6

117.04

117.75

Stavudine Zerit

BMS

40 mg cap / 56 cap. pack

171.98

171

107.56

143.78

145

128.65

65.99

193.2

Didanosie Videx

BMS

100 mg tab / 60 tab pack

88

74

44.26

72.6

70

61.4

 

49.57

Ritonavir Norvir

Abbott

100 mg cap / 84 cap pack

94.35

63.5

52.34

52.83

75

47.44

 

76.61

Indinavir Crixivan

Merck

400 mg caps / 180 caps

266.74

221

199

173.11

240

206.4

 

 

 

 

 

Table 5

Retail Pharmacy Price Markups on Generic Drugs

 

Source: December 31, 1998, Elyse Tanouye, "Price Markups on Generics Can Top Brand-Name Drugs," Wall Street Journal.

Generic drug/Brand name 
   Treatment 
   Dosage

No. of 
pills

Generic 
manuf's

Generic 
retail

Brand- 
name 
retail

Acyclovir/Zovirax
   Antiviral drug
   400 mg tablet

44

$7.22

$61.64

$98.12

Cimetidine/Tagamet
   Ulcer drug
   400 mg tablet

57

2.85

37.09

90.63

Captopril/Capoten
   High blood pressure
   25 mg tablet

79

1.46

24.49

66.36

Glipizide/Glucotrol
   Diabetes
   10 mg tablet

76

3.76

25.80

52.44

Diazepam/Valium
   Antianxiety drug
   5 mg tablet

46

0.44

6.84

33.12

Haloperidol/Haldol
   Antipsychotic
   5 mg tablet

52

0.62

18.08

82.16

Diltiazem/Cardizem
   Angina (chest pain)
   60 mg tablet

88

3.08

31.61

66.00