Below are some smart strategies that you can use and implement to save on drugs.



Talk with your doctor. During your doctor's appointment, raise your concerns pertaining to the rising costs of prescription drugs. Do not hesistate to discuss this matter with your doctor. If you don't bring up these concerns, your doctor may assume that prescription cost is not a factor to you.

Ask and be enlightened. Know why your doctor is prescribing that specific drug. Also ask if the drug is FDA-approved, for your specific condition. Sometimes, doctors will just prescribed drugs that you don't really need or not certified by the FDA to benefit your specific condition. Research on evidences that the prescribed drug works in your case.

Beware of drug ads. Advertisements are helpful in telling you the drugs available in the market. However, don't be easily persuade to try newer drugs. Just because the drug is new doesn't always mean that it has huge advancement over existing medications. And because advertisments incur costs, most likely, these drugs are more costly.

Value of free samples. They are provided to doctors as part of drug companies? marketing efforts to entice usage by you. But remember that they may or may not be the best or most effective drug for what ails you.

Buying generics via internet. The value of non-US Internet pharmacy lies in brand-name drugs?because they are often cheaper in Canadian and European-based sites. However, for generic drugs, US sites provide the cheaper choice.

Know your supplements. Supplements may or may not interact with other drugs. Some ingredients in supplements may harm you especially if you have certain conditions. Remember that supplements are usually not FDA-approved, so their claims are not substantiated.

Splitting of Pills. Skimp on the dose? Never! But by requesting your doctor to prescribe pills that are twice the dose you need, and then cut them in half using a pill splitter can actually save you some money.

New versus older drugs. Low-cost generics which are usually older drugs are as good as, or better than, the newer and more expensive ones coming to the market. There have been plenty of evidence coming out lately proving this point.

Store-brand versus name-brand. When buying over-the-counter medications, choose store-branded medications (such as Equate, Walgreens or CVS) over name-branded counterparts. The truth is, they contain the same active ingredients that can cure whatever ails you, but their price difference is substantial. Store-branded medicines are usually placed beside the name-brands. Just check the labels to make sure of the active ingredients.