pyridostigmine price increase
 

Has anyone else noticed an increase in the price of pyridostigmine recently? the price I pay before the insurance covers anything has went up 150% for me.

Mine went up just a little - about $3.00

I pay for an Advantage Membership at Sam's Club (and extra $55 / year) in order to get big discounts at their pharmacy.

For 120 pyridostigmine tabs, I pay $40.00. They list the cash price (without the Club discount) as $296.97

After my diagnosis in November, 2014, I was prescribed Albuterol (tablets) for my Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome. My insurance allows me Tier 1 medications at no cost and Albuterol was Tier 1 at that time.

In January when I went to refill the prescription through my mail order pharmacy, I found that instead of being free as it was in November, my copay was now $595! My insurance reclassified Albuterol tablets as Tier 4. It's been brought to my attention that this is how insurance companies compensate for selling higher priced drugs at lower costs -- reclassify cheap drugs so they can recoup some of their costs.

I told my doctor that Albuterol helped, but no way was $600 worth of helpful. He agreed and did a little research and found that Walmart had Albuterol as one of their $4 a month medications and thought I could get a 90-day supply for $12. His office called and checked and because I was taking 3 pills per day instead of 2, they would charge me $15. Let's see -- my insurance wanted $595 or I could go to Walmart and pay outright for $15? No brainer there.

It's a racket for sure. But at least I can still take my medication - at least for now until Walmart changes their mind and starts charging out the butt for it.

The syrup is crazy expensive, much more than the tablets. It's a joy every year to get it, until my deductible kicks in.

All forms are now made in Canada. You'd think our neighbors would be a bit more friendly.

Annie

I have not noticed any increase, my insurance pays all but$20.00 for 3 bottles per month,
I burn through 3 pint bottles each month

Remember I said Sam's was about $40 a month (120 pills) with an advantage membership......

Well, just filled script and it has more than DOUBLED....$97.xx for 120 pills

I complained...they said new supplier...they said I should have been notified....they gave it to me at the old price ...this one time. Going forward $97.xx

It's sickening the price of medication in general is expensive. It's like either you get medication or you get to eat.

In case anyone is curious I think I found the reason for the price increase, there used to be 3 manufactures of pyridostigmine Valeant(the brand name mfg of mestinon), Global and Impax. At the beginning of this year Global was purchased by Impax so the prices of generic pyridostigmine and creeping up to the price of the brand name mestinon due to lack of competition.

Mestinon full prize in France is 6.32 USD for 20 x 60 mg pills.
The brand name is MEDA (swedish) and is manufactured in Spain.
In Belgium, its sold about 50 USD for one bottle of 150.
And by the way, its sold here without prescription...
Maurice.

I should have made it clear that the merger of Global and Impax only affects the US market, there are many manufactures in other countries. One of them has applied to the FDA to sell pyridostigmine in the US so maybe our prices will come down after that. I'll have to stock up next time I'm in Belgium

Are you kidding me? Are they encouraging people to commit suicide?

A drug, that isn't benign, can be sold to anyone? Wow. M@rd@ (modified French swear word)!

Annie

Well according to the Neuro in Netherlands, I don't have myasthenia, but since it helps I can increase the Mestinon until it makes me ill (stomach problems).

Though it is on prescription here!

It is amazing that different doctors in different countries have such widely varying views of a drug. One wonders who is actually correct.

I don't really think it's about who's correct, JJ, but about who profits. Maybe they can't justify having our orphan drug around unless more people take it (as enlisted men and women did in the Gulf War). Maybe they think everyone is smart enough to know that it's a dangerous drug. Maybe they don't care. Who knows what their motivations are.

The science is clear. Too little or too much acetylcholine can cause anyone to stop moving or breathing.

Can people get heroin without a prescription and without prosecution?

If even doctors don't "get" what Mestinon can do to the body, how can an uniformed layman in a pharmacy get it? What if it's sold as an "energy" drug?

I just hope that the price doesn't keep going up and up as it has recently.

Annie

No, Annie, it's not a joke, see (I'm sorry for this reference in french)
http://www.doctissimo.fr/medicament-MESTINON.htm
"non soumis à prescription médicale" means it may be sold without prescription.
It is perhaps the reason why is only available in France in small bottles of 20-60mg pills.
Mestinon is sold here for myasthenia but also to increase bowel transit and
I've never heard of that second use in the States.
Now about the risk you mentioned, I think it is inherent with any drug, the leaflets in each drug box are there to protect the manufacturer but also to inform the patients about the recommended dosage and the possible side effects.
Maurice