The cost of many seemingly popular generic ophthalmics and topical continues to rise. Price increases range from 2-3 fold to more than 10 fold. The 5 companies that seem to be the biggest culprits are Bausch and Lomb, Falcon Ophthalmics (recently purchased by brand Novartis), Fougera, Perrigo and Taro Pharmaceuticals. The increases are NOT due to a rise in raw materials but is blamed on a decrease in the popularity of the affected products. It is this author’s opinion that it has more to due with the pending health care reform coming down the track which will require manufacturers to cut prices 25%. So why not increase

prices now while there are no price controls. It is also of interest that when 2 or 3 companies make the same product, their price increase is about the same. Draw your own conclusions. The following are products we expect to see or have already seen major price increases:

Please note that products with a (*) are products we have purchased a significant quantity of and we plan on maintaining our pricing or limiting our price increase on these products for as long as our stock lasts. Products with a (+) indicates products for which we purchased large quantities of product to maintain our price, but whose inventory is nearly exhausted and will require a significant price increase in the near future. When this occurs, your customer service representative will contact you with lower cost alternatives if available. For example, when the current inventory of gentamicin 0.3% ophthalmic solution runs out we will suggest switching to tobramycin 0.3% ophthalmic solution for which we purchased a 2 year supply.

Use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) regularly for a year or longer may lead to low levels of circulating magnesium, which may increase the risk of leg spasms, arrhythmias, and seizures, according to an FDA warning. The FDA noted that PPI-associated hypomagnesemia was generally reversed with magnesium supplements, but in about 25% of cases “magnesium supplementation alone did not improve low serum magnesium levels and the PPI had to be discontinued.” The FDA’s notice included the prescription drugs: esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), omeprazole (Prilosec), omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate (Zegerid), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantoprazole sodium (Protonix), rabeprazole sodium (AcipHex) and the combination product esomeprazole magnesium/naproxen (Vimovo).

The following products have been experiencing shortages and therefore price increase due to raw material supply problems, manufacturer recalls or other manufacturing related issues. The products affected are Metronidazole, Nitrofurantoin 100mg BID-Caps and Clarithromycin. These shortages may effect product availability.

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In addition, a recall of methylprednisolone 4mg dosepacks at the wholesale (not retail) will probably cause a shortage of & a price increase for this product starting in April.

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Recently, in the fall of 2010, Abbott Labs sold ownership of their entire Oral Erythromycin product line (Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Ery-Ped, E.E.S., Eryc Capsules), both brand and generics, to Arbor Pharmaceuticals. The new company has increased the cost of all erythromycin oral products 3-4 fold. We have now exhausted our erythromycin inventory we had at the old cost. Contact customer service for new prices or for pricing on clarithromycin which can be used as an alternative for erythromycin.

MEDIXFACTS IS A NEWS PUBLICATION OF PHARMEDIX CO. UNION CITY, CA . 1-800-486-1811 www.pharmedixrx.com.