People ask Alan Cassels: how do we save money on our prescription drug bill?
His short answer is: do not pay for drugs:
- that are higher cost drugs when there are lower cost drugs that are equally as effective.
- that are the newest, most shiny drug when there is an older, safer equivalent.
- which are useless.
- with black box warnings if there are alternatives.
- that have no proof they will actually help you.
- that are likely to make a patient feel worse even if it makes your doctor or caregiver feel better to give it to you.
- prescription-only when there are equally effective over-the-counter drugs.
- that are likely to lead to additional problems, thus requiring more drugs to deal with the side effects of the drugs you’re currently taking.
- when there are equally effective non-drug alternatives.
- if they haven’t been tested or approved for the disease you have.
- out of ignorance.
- when you’re already taking too many.
Read The “12 Principles of Don’t Pay”, A New Year’s manifesto in the war on prescription drug waste, by Alan Cassels, commonground, 2015/01/12.