Good news! The FDA has approved a generic version of Fosamax (alendronate sodium). Since it was just approved on February 6, 2008, not all the insurance companies have their formularies updated. Call me (515 457 3112 or 888 207 3525) to check on a particular company.
Fosamax is used to treat osteoporosis, most common in women after menopause. The normal Fosamax dose is one pill per week, with a retail price of about $80 for a one month supply of 4 pills. Most insurance companies currently have it on the 2nd tier of a 4 tier formulary which is made up mostly of name brand drugs on the less expensive end of name brands. As they add the generic version to be an approved level 1 drug, don't be surprised to see them also move the brand-name Fosamax to their 3rd tier with a higher copayment in order to encourage use of the generic instead.
As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The two main things a person should do to build bone mass so as to not need this drug is to get plenty of calcium (dairy products, some vegetables such as broccoli, supplemental pills and drinks that contain added calcium such as some orange juice and Propel Fitness Water), and to do regular weight-bearing exercise.
Doing that sure beats compression fractures of the spine and broken hips that commonly result from osteoporosis.
If you are an insurance nerd like me and want to read the FDA's release regarding this approval, it is online at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01793.html
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1 comment:
Hi David,
I like your website! Yes, this is approved as a generic on the Evercare formulary as well. Thanks, Matt.
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