Crixivan« Price Break for Cash Customers: $97 Per Month Less, If You Ask

After extensive protest against the large markup on Merck's protease inhibitor (from $12 per day which is Merck's price, to the $16.50 per day retail price for cash customers), Stadtlanders Pharmacy has found a way to reduce the cash price from $16.50 to $13.27 (consistent with it contractual obligations to insurance companies and managed-care plans, which already get discounted prices). They will do this by honoring a discount card which has long been provided by another mail-order pharmacy, Community Prescription Service (CPS). The CPS card costs $18, and is honored by about 60% of pharmacies in the U.S., who give a negotiated below-retail price to card holders, not only for Crixivan.

Note: Due to a special temporary distribution program for indinavir (Crixivan), described in AIDS TREATMENT NEWS #244, April 5, 1996, most patients can only order this drug through Stadtlanders.

It appears to be most convenient if you get the card in advance directly through CPS. For more information, or to order the discount card, call CPS at 800/842-0502. But you can also ask for the card when you call Stadtlanders for your monthly Crixivan prescription; they can order it for you from CPS and give you the discount immediately.

This program was announced on April 18, and largely negotiated the day before. It may take a few days or more for Stadtlanders' phone operators to be told about the program and trained in how to use it.

Note: The reason for this price irrationality is that there has to be a "retail" price substantially higher than the negotiated discount prices which large institutions pay.