often that research is done on college campuses. using college facilities. the college is given a gov't grant to do the research. (that means 'tested') you pay for that. the drug is then finalized by the manufacturer and produced by them. they sock it to you in the final cost. you've paid twice. then, they copyright this, even though the gov't has paid for much of it. socked again. without getting into this, don't you love big business?

Big Business.....alot of the length and hoops the business have to run through is due to the FDA (government) and 99% pay over 60% in taxes so they are more than paying their fair share and then some.
Sorry but most drugs are NOT developed on college campuses they are done under STRICT controled labs. Never wondered about the fast hush job the government did on the breach of security on the swine flu??????
Can you see it...college lab break in, virus used to test meds is released on campus. OMGAWD the lawsuits would come out of the woodwork.

As for are generic the same ...no they are not. I wish more people were able to use the generic but I a very happy for the ones who can. I am one of the unlucky ones who has a reaction to the "inert" ingredients.
Solvents, propellents, preservatives, among others, are considered inert ingredients. They still can cause a chemical reaction once introduced in the body.

we can agree on this, anyway. :mrgreen:

I had a terrible time with my meds the last few months. I'm on BC disability, so the gov covers my meds. My mood stabilizer, seroquel, i had been doing well on for 3 years, and then a few months ago, the patent ran out, and the gov would only cover generic. Well let me tell you, when it's a psych med, it really makes a difference. I see a world famous hd psychiatrist, and he told me, that generic is allowed to be up to 25 precent different, and they can call it the same. So we had to hunt around, and try several generics, before we found one to work for me. So sometimes, for some people, it really does make a difference.

My DH fell into the donut hole last month....and it HURTS!!! We can see the ladder, but sure can't reach it...sure does hit the monthly expenses. I'm just thankful we can afford it...don't know what people do when they can't...sad situation.

20/20 did a report on the costs of drugs at different chains. They compared the price of a particular drug at two chain drug stores, like CVS, Eckerds, Walgreens, and Sams Club, Walmart, and Costco.

The chain drug stores were within a few dimes of each other. Their price for drug X was the highest, at $150.00.

Walmart was next highest at about $100.00

Sam's Club was next at $75.00

And Costco was cheapest at $20. And you DO NOT need to be a Costco member to use the pharmacy (by federal law). When you get to the front door, just tell them you are going to the pharmacy and they let you right in.

Just goes to show the tremendous mark-up some companies put on meds. And yes, the Costco drugs are the real thing too, exactly the same as the others.

Lipitor has no generic yet and is the #1 prescription sold. They were going to generic in 2007 and the FDA let them keep their patent until 2011. That really ticked me off a I have been on it since 1998.