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generics
drugs
It's no secret that prescription drugs are expensive, but it is a bit of one that they don't have to be. Dr. Edward Jardini's book, How To Save On Prescription Drugs, has 20 methods that anyone can use to drastically cut the costs of long-term medications, without sacrificing quality. Here's 14 of them:
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14 Ways To Save On Drugs Big Pharma Doesn't Want You To Know
It's no secret that prescription drugs are expensive, but it is a bit of one that they don't have to be. Dr. Edward Jardini's book, How To Save On Prescription Drugs, has 20 methods that anyone can use to drastically cut the costs of long-term medications, without sacrificing quality. Here's 14 of them:
More »
your health
Could Generic Drugs Be Even Cheaper Without The Middle Man?
The WSJ Health Blog says that pharmacy benefit managers are marking up the amount they charge your insurance company for generic drugs and keeping the difference. Often the mark-up isn't too severe, but the WSJ has one example where the difference was over a hundred dollars. More »
cipro
FDA Warns Of Tendon-Rupturing Antibiotics
The FDA slapped a black box warning on a group of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones for their link to tendonitis and tendon rupture in patients. Drugs in this group include Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Oscient, Factive, Proquin XR, Floxin Noroxin. Ruptures associated with the drug have included the achilles tendon, thumbs, shoulder, bicep and hand. Public interest group Public Citizen has been petitioned the FDA in 1996, 2005 and 2006 to add greater warnings to the drug. Only after Public Citizen sued the FDA for not responding to the petitions were the warnings added. One patient described what happened after he was hospitalized for an infection and treated with Cipro...
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walmart
Walmart Pharmacy Error Causes Teen To Lapse Into Coma
Jessie Scott, an 18-year-old from Draper, Utah has been in a coma since the end of April because of a critical error which occurred at a Walmart pharmacy. His doctor prescribed Jessie 5mg of Oxycodone Hydrochoride in a liquid solution to help him with the severe pain of his strep throat, however, what he received from the pharmacy was a concentrated solution which was supposed to have been diluted before being dispensed to Jessie. Exactly how much medication did Jessie consume? More »
Your Health
Modern Psychiatry: Brought To You By Selfless Pharmaceutical Companies
Psychiatry is nothing more than a well-funded front for big pharma, according to lawmakers investigating the field's premier organization, the American Psychiatric Association. Unlike psychologists, psychiatrists can write prescriptions, giving pharmaceutical companies a powerful incentive to lavishly subsidize both their lifestyle and profession. More »
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Seven Websites That Saved Me Money in the Last Week [The Simple Dollar] "Here are seven websites I used to directly save money over the last week, my exact purchases and savings, and how much cash they saved me."
Home buyers should look beyond low prices for long-term values [Consumer Reports] "Follow these tips to help secure the best deal [on a home] you can."
New ways to save on drugs [CNN Money] "Here's the news you need to know to avoid the worst of the pain - no clandestine trips to Canada required."
The Four Pillars of Investing [Get Rich Slowly] "For the past year, I've been looking for a book to recommend for novice investors, a book that would offer sensible advice without becoming too technical. I believe I've finally found that book."
5 stupid 'fixes' for money woes [MSN Money] "If a solution sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And the words 'quick and easy' should set off alarm bells."
(Photo: Tengaport)
cheap generic drugs
11 Cheap Generic Drug Programs That Will Save You Money
Here at the Consumerist we'd like you to save money. That's why we've put together a handy list of those $4 generic drug programs that you've been hearing about. We hope this list will make it easier for you to locate the store that has the best deal on all your medications. If your local grocery store is doing a similar program and we missed it, please add a link to the comments. If you need help researching the medicines, we recommend Consumer Reports' excellent site Best Buy Drugs. Enjoy! More »
birth control
New "Pro-Life" Pharmacies Won't Sell You Birth Control
Putting their own beliefs ahead their customers', the DMC Pharmacy, scheduled to open in Chantilly, VA., is among a growing number of "pro-life" pharmacies that will not sell any form of contraception. According to the Washington Post, the pharmacy, an expansion of Divine Mercy Care, asserts a "right of conscience" which means they won't provide any services or products that they find objectionable. Details, inside... More »
ask the consumerists
Call For Entries: What Are The Most Disturbing "Side Effects" Mentioned in Drug Ads?
We're putting together a "top 10" list of disturbing side effects mentioned in drug ads and we wanted to make sure we didn't miss any. More »
health care
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's Thoughts On Health Care Reform
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke shared some thoughts on health care reform from "an economist's perspective" today. He was short on proposals, but did suggest that we concentrate our attention on improving the cost-effectiveness of our health care system: More »
walgreens
Walgreens Pill-Flipping Scheme Costs Taxpayers Millions
Thanks to an anonymous whistle-blower, a Walgreens pill-flipping scheme has been blown wide open, according to CBS. "Pill-flipping" refers the practice of pharmacies that purposefully switch Medicaid patients to more expensive versions of certain drugs for the sole reason of collecting more money from the government. Naturally, when this happens, taxpayers pick up the bill. Athough, Walgreen's officially denies any wrongdoing they have agreed to pay the government more than $35 million. Details, inside... More »
complaints
BCBS Double Copay On Thyroid Meds
Mary is freaking out because BCBS of Maryland just doubled the copay on her thyroid meds. Times are tight, and Mary doesn't have a thyroid. The insurance companies have been telling her for years that Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs is a generic, now BCBS has classified it as not being generic. She's pretty ticked, and considering getting married to her fiance early just to get on his insurance. Her letter, and how she might save $200.32 a year, inside. More »
Attention Doctors of the State of Minnesota: You may not have any of Eli Lilly's free frozen yogurt. [WSJ Health Blog]
errors
CVS Accidentally Gives You Leukemia Drugs, Sends You To Intensive Care For A Week
You should always check to make sure the medicines you get are the medicines you're prescribed. Dorothy Enriquez learned this lesson the hard way when she began taking the leukemia drugs that CVS gave her instead of her actual prescription. Not only did the pharmacy give her the wrong drug, but at several times the recommended dose for someone who actually has leukemia. More »
pharma
Costco Is A Great Place For Cheap Drugs
Consumer Reports bought bought Plavix, Levoxyl, Detrol, and Alendronate at a whole bunch of different pharmacies, and Costco came out the cheapest overall. Here's how the 13 places they tested rang up: More »
health
Top 9 Medical Myths
Dr. Keith Hopcroft of The Times has put together his list top 9 medical myths. Can having sex cause a heart attack? Are headaches a sign of brain tumors? Is breast self-exam actually useless? Can the flu shot give you the flu? Put your medical knowledge to the test. Check out the myths, inside... More »
health
