Amid probe, pharmacies cut back on liquid Tamiflu price

[DainBramaged]

Walgreens has reduced its prices by nearly 20% and CVS nearly 10% for a scarce liquid form of the H1N1 drug Tamiflu amid state investigations into potential price gouging.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal still questions whether the pharmacy chains and others are charging fair prices. "I'm delighted they are reducing their prices, but they may have an obligation to reduce them even further," Blumenthal said Monday. He sent investigative letters Nov. 23 to Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid and said his investigators are interviewing independent pharmacists.


EARLIER: HHS to warn consumers of flu drug price gouging http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-11-18-tamiflu_N.htm
BACKGROUND: Prices for H1N1 drug Tamiflu vary widely for same dose http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-11-17-swine-flue-drug-prices_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

A USA TODAY telephone survey last month of more than 100 pharmacies in six states found Walgreens had among the highest out-of-pocket prices to make, or "compound," the same child-strength liquid prescription.

The survey, published Nov. 18, found prices ranged from $43 to $130; Walgreens' price was $94.49. A follow-up phone survey by the newspaper in recent days to a dozen pharmacies that had given high price quotes found Walgreens stores had reduced their prices to $75.69.

Walgreens spokesman Jim Cohn said the chain is "committed to offering competitive pricing" and "made the decision to adjust the price for compounded Tamiflu prescriptions."

The price reduction occurred around Nov. 19 or 20. He noted that Walgreens' price structure for compounded medications had been unchanged since 2006.

CVS this week set $74.99 as the chainwide price, down from about $83, for the dose and duration of the sample prescription used in USA TODAY's survey, spokeswoman Carolyn Castel said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-11-30-swine-flu-liquid-Tamiflu-price_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

[laughingliberal]

1. Funny how this seems to happen whenever a serious probe into price gouging is done

Anyone else remember back on 2001 when Jim Jeffords threw control of the Senate to Democrats by switching parties? The day after that happened, Harry Reid stood up and announced he was opening an investigation into oil prices (they were going up at a very fast rate). Within 24 hours the price of gasoline at the pump was back to normal. I had to wonder in summer 2008 that no one stood up and said that and we were gouged until just before the election.

editied to correct typo