When purchasing meds this week, I came across a situation I think everyone should be aware of.  Short of demanding a refund, I’m not sure what else you can do should you find yourself in the same position.  It definitely reveals a flaw in the system.

The drug  is Ondansetron (Zofran).  It’s an anti-nauseant commonly used during chemotherapy. It has tons of other uses too, it was given to my son in triage at Emergency a few weeks back when he had a migraine and he had been using their garbage cans as personal barf buckets.  It worked almost immediately and we went home without seeing a Doctor!  Ok, I’m getting off topic a bit (bear with me, I tend to do that!)

The first time I purchased Ondansetron was at the hospital Pharmacy when I was being discharged.  It is a popular pharmacy chain that usually gives air miles. (Except for this one!   Because it’s a “small independently owned” version, but still bears the drug store name.)

The price of the Ondansetron on that day was roughly $250 for 42 pills.  

I had a very bad week for nausea and was placed on a different drug, then back on the Ondansetron so I needed to fill a second prescription on Aug 8th, roughly 3 weeks after the first batch.

The price of the Ondansetron on August  8th was $503 for 42 pills!!!!!!

This was the same company, same drug store chain, 2 different locations. There were no insurance issues to be dealt with either, so it wasn’t a matter of the insurance company not paying for something.  The second batch was purchased at a location close to our apartment.

Same company, 2 different locations, roughly $250 difference. DOUBLE.

We would likely never  have noticed. But I keep records and receipts, and want to know everything, so I asked Shaye for the documents on the 2nd purchase.  Something wasn’t sitting right so I compared it to our previous purchase.  I was blown away when I noticed the discrepancy.  Then I was angry.

We photographed the receipts, posted on the company’s website and asked how this could happen.  No response.  We went to the local pharmacy the next morning.  The pharmacist was super friendly and apologetic and refunded the difference between the two.  That was a good start, but it wasn’t about the money.   We submit for drug reimbursement, so sure the money upfront makes a difference, but at some point we would have received a percentage back either way. 

I wanted to know how to prevent this from happening again and I wanted to know how it could happen in the first place.  He explained that it was a “system error”.  The “system” determines the price of the drug plus dispensing fee when the drug comes into the “system”.  He explained his frustration when people come in with these discrepancies angry with the pharmacist, when in fact, the pharmacist has no control over the pricing.  He also said that it occurs across all companies, not this particular drugstore.

I know most people have benefits which take care of the bulk amount right off the top, however, we have to ask who pays for this in the end.  We do. With premiums. I asked how we can protect ourselves.  The answer was simple.  We can’t, really.  You can call around to different pharmacies to get the price of your drug prior to purchasing it.  But are we really going to do that?  I worry for people without benefits, on fixed incomes, in a position of need, who unknowingly buy a needed medication at double the price they would have paid down the street, or at the same pharmacy 3 weeks prior.  At least when our other necessities like Gas goes up, we know about it right?!

Here is a copy of the regulations on pharmaceuticals in Alberta.  According to this, it is hard to understand how an error like this can or does even occur.

I would love to take this one on and get more info from our insurance companies, the government agency, etc, but I’m out of energy for this issue.

Peace & Love

Trish xo