Drug Wars

Friday, October 27, 2006

A look at the average retail and Costco.com prices for a typical month's supply of some of the most commonly prescribed generic drugs being sold by Wal-Mart for $4:

High blood pressure/heart disease

Captopril (generic for Capoten) 25 mg

Average retail price: $31

Costco price: $11.57

High cholesterol

Lovastatin (generic for Mevacor) 10 mg

Average retail price: $32

Costco price: $32.79

Depression

Fluoxetine (generic for Prozac) 10 mg

Average retail price: $33

Costco price: $9

Diabetes

Metformin (generic for Glucophage) 500 mg

Average retail price: $36

Costco price: $8.39

Menopause

Estradiol (generic for Estrace) 1 mg

Average retail price: $11

Costco price: $7.29

NOTE: Average retail prices are for August-September; Costco.com prices are as of yesterday. SOURCES: Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs/Consumer Union, Costco.com

GRAPHIC BY KAREN YOURISH AND TAN LY -- THE WASHINGTON POST