Because the drug companies can charge more to the US pharmacy than the one
in Budapest. A slightly higher price in the US might be appropriate because
of more regulation. Like maybe $2 per bottle. The drug companies will also
claim that they are recovering the cost of developing the drug in the US.
The company may also have a patent in the US that is not enforced in
Budapest.

Jeff

Did you think the 80$ was some how related to the cost
of manufacturing the med - I doubt if it takes more than
2 to 5$ to manufacture.

BTW, you get generic Flonase in the US also now. It
probably costs around 40-60$.

If costco/samsclub/walmart or kmart stock it, they probably
will be selling it around 20$ maybe.

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Thanks for the responses to my enquiry.

Here's an addendum to my first posting -- something I posted to one
of the Glaucoma support groups:

Greetings!

Many of the expensive medications we use are not available in
'generic' forms.  Older drugs, whose patents and exclusivity have
expired, are almost always available in a cheaper generic form.

Most important is the patent expiration date.

Here's what I do:

Suppose you are taking Norvasc -- it is very expensive and not
available generically.

Go to:  http://www.fda.gov/cder/ob/default.htm

This is the US Government FDA "Orange Book" -- the official name is 

Electronic Orange Book
Approved Drug Products with
Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations

From here, you can search by the commercial name of the drug, the
generic name of the medication, the patent number, and some other
things.

Click on "Search by Proprietary Name", and then enter "Norvasc" and
hit "Submit".

The next page will list the drug, the patent application number,
active ingredient, dosage form, strength, etc.

Note the name of the active ingredient:  AMLODIPINE BESYLATE -- This
will be the generic name, if and when a generic form becomes
available.

Click on the "Appl No" for the dose form you are taking.  For
example 5mg tablet.  Then click on
Patent and Exclusivity Info for this product: "View"

Here is what you will see:

Patent Data
Appl No.   Prod No.  Patent No.  Patent Expiration,

Drug Substance Claim   Drug Product Claim

Patent Use Code

And a whole flock of data, including the patent expiration dates.

As you can see, for "Norvasc", all of the patents will be expired by
the end of next year.  Then you might look for a cheaper generic
equivalent shortly thereafter.

When you open the "Orange Book" website, you can opt to be put on
the mailing list for updates which are made (I think) twice a year.

Happy hunting!  Save some money!

earle
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