Generic Drug Programs Could Save Consumers, Gov’t $5.8B

U.S. consumers and the federal government could save an estimated $5.8 billion annually if every eligible individual switched to one of the increasingly available $4 generic drug programs, according to a study published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Under the programs, various pharmacy chains like Wal-Mart and Target offer a 30-day supply of certain generic medications -- such as cholesterol-lowering and allergy drugs, antibiotics and antidepressants -- for $4. Yuting Zhang, the study's lead author, noted that the study did not seek to promote specific pharmacies' generic drug programs, but to spur discussions between physicians and patients regarding the cost benefits of such programs.

• "$4 Drug Programs Could Save Economy Billions: Study" (Pittman, Reuters, 3/15).