Allegra D 24hr (No Generic) has gone OTC but cost doesn't go down

[skorpo]

Just found out that the Allegra D 24 hr that I take has gone OTC. But is available only at the full prescription price. My insurance covered the med @ approx 1/5 of the full price. Now they will not pay for this med at all.

http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drugtopics/Clinical+News/Injunction-lifted-on-Allegra-D-24-Hour/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/706737

Injunction lifted on Allegra-D 24 Hour

Feb 8, 2011
By: From staff reports
Drug Topics E-News

Sanofi-aventis is appealing a federal judge’s decision to lift the injunction against the sale of a generic Allegra-D 24 Hour product in the United States.

The U.S. District Court of New Jersey lifted the preliminary injunction in mid-January, clearing the sale of Dr. Reddy’s generic version of Allegra-D 24 Hour (fexofenadine hydrochloride/ pseudoephedrine hydrochloride). Sanofi-aventis and Albany Molecular Research sued Dr. Reddy’s over the sale of the generic Allegra, stating that Dr. Reddy’s product infringed on Albany Molecular’s patent. An injunction has been in place since June 2010.

--snip---

The action comes on the heels of Food and Drug Administration approval of Allegra and Allegra-D for OTC use.

Meanwhile, the U.S. District Court in New Jersey ruled that Sanofi-aventis and Albany Molecular must post a $40 million bond with the court “towards the possibility that the injunction had been wrongfully granted,” according to a statement from Dr. Reddy’s.

[Taverner]

1. Of course

Claritin didn't go down when it went OTC

It just stopped being covered by insurance

[skorpo]

2. Costco has generics at very low prices for Benedryl, Claritin and Zyrtec

My sister uses these since she has no prescription coverage.

[Taverner]

3. Benedryl can be cheap

But Claritin? At least 20 for a pack of 12

[SharonAnn]

4. Generic at Wal-Mart is much, much less.

[Taverner]

5. My Grandparents would spin in their graves if I shopped at Wal-Mart

Put it this way - they never bought a Ford because he sprayed his striking workers

[HuckleB]

9. I've been purchasing a year's worth of generic claritin for around $60 for a few years now.

The price is very similar at Fred Meyer, Safeway, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc...

[godai]

7. Good at night but drowsiness during the day. n/t

[godai]

6. That's the plan...

The insurance company cuts costs and the drug company expands their market at the end of the patent life. Works out swell for them.

[godai]

8. Have you tried just taking generic pseudoephedrine?

Allegra is a weak anti-histamine and probably most of the effect you get from Allegra 24 is from pseudoephedrine.

If I took 240 mg pseudoephedrine (amount in Allegra 24). I'd be up all night.

Ask your doctor about pseudoephedrine during the day and benedryl at night. But, if you have itchy eyes, sneezing, peudoephedrine won't help with that.

[Maru Kitteh]

10. Have you tried loratidine? It's what I take. I've never had any side effects, just makes

the sneezy, itchy, stuffy go away. It's fairly cheap. I buy it at WalMart but you could find it at any large drug store I'm sure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loratadine

[CountAllVotes]

11. same problem

I ended up buying a 90-day supply of generic Allegra 180 at COSTCO. This generic is made by TEVA pharmaceuticals. Cost was a little less than $50 (bought this about 2 mos. ago). It doesn't work as well as the "real" thing made by Aventis.

I have some old Allegra-D in my drawer and I am not about to throw it away as although it is expired by about 6 mos. it is still plenty potent.

I managed to find another source for brand name Allegra 180 recently - about $100.00 for a 9-month supply. It is cheaper to buy it from this company I recently found that to buy it from any store.

:kick:

[jimsflies]

12. help finding a reasonable price

I know this topic is a couple months old...just came up against this issue since my old script is out and now my out of pocket costs is going to go up 1300%. @countallvotes, can you post or pm the company you found that had 9 months supply for $100. Thanks

[mrmpa]

13. Costco's Allerclear..............A year's supply for

$12.00. Used to take Allegra daily. I moved to another state, I ran out of refills. Allerclear is loratadine, not drowsy.