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Pill splitting (view source)

Revision as of 14:57, June 6, 2007

4 bytes added , 14:57, June 6, 2007

VA considers simvastatin suitable for the "splitting" strategy

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*To save money on prescription drugs by deliberately purchasing tablets that contain twice the proper dosage and splitting them. (The practice requires the cooperation of the doctor prescribing the drug).

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The phrase '''pill splitting''' often refers to this third strategy. It is made possible by a quirk of pharmaceutical economics: in many cases, ''the price of a tablet of a particular drug is almost the same regardless of the dosage.'' For example, one online pharmacy quotes these prices for simvastatin<ref>[http://www.drugstore.com/pharmacy/drugindex/rxsearch.asp?search=simvastatin&expand=Simvastatin&trx=1Z5007 Simvastatin], drugstore.com.</ref>, a frequently-prescribed cholesterol-reducing drug (and that the [[U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs|VA]] considers suitable for splitting<ref>[http://www.research.va.gov/news/press_releases/tablet-splitting-111004.cfm Tablet-splitting Saves VA $46.5 Million on Popular Statin]</ref>):

+

The phrase '''pill splitting''' often refers to this third strategy. It is made possible by a quirk of pharmaceutical economics: in many cases, ''the price of a tablet of a particular drug is almost the same regardless of the dosage.'' For example, one online pharmacy quotes these prices for simvastatin<ref>[http://www.drugstore.com/pharmacy/drugindex/rxsearch.asp?search=simvastatin&expand=Simvastatin&trx=1Z5007 Simvastatin], drugstore.com.</ref>, a frequently-prescribed cholesterol-reducing drug (and one that the [[U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs|VA]] considers suitable for splitting<ref>[http://www.research.va.gov/news/press_releases/tablet-splitting-111004.cfm Tablet-splitting Saves VA $46.5 Million on Popular Statin]</ref>):

*90 20-mg tablets: $73.97

*90 40-mg tablets: $74.97

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