Drugs

Despite the name, drugstores might not be the best place to buy certain drugs, according to a study released in 2013 by Consumer Reports. The company sent secret shoppers out to 200 pharmacies throughout the country and asked them to find out prices for a month’s supply of five blockbuster drugs that recently became available as generic: Actos (pioglitazone), for diabetes; Lexapro (escitalopram), an antidepressant; Lipitor (atorvastatin), for high cholesterol; Plavix (clopidogrel), a blood thinner; and Singulair (montelukast), for asthma. Costco, the study found, is the cheapest place to buy drugs, while CVS has the highest prices and Rite Aid has the second highest. Walgreens was also more expensive than Costco, Wal-Mart and Kmart. A CVS spokesperson told Consumer Reports that its retail drug prices reflect other services offered by the chain, like drive-through windows and 24-hour pharmacies.


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