The Republic | azcentral.comSat Nov 16, 2013 10:53 PM
People with valley fever may have something else to cough, ache and sweat about: the spiraling cost of the most commonly prescribed drug to treat the airborne fungal disease.
The price of the generic drug, fluconazole, has surged to as much as 15 times what it cost in early summer, according to a sampling of prices across metro Phoenix obtained by The Arizona Republic.
The sudden price hike has doctors worried that uninsured patients will have trouble paying for the drug, which some people must take for months to cure the disease. Another big concern is for dogs and other animals that are much more susceptible than people, say veterinarians and animal-rescue groups.
A one-month supply of 100-milligram tablets of fluconazole rose from $5.50 in June to $52 in mid-July when a manufacturer raised its price, according to one pharmacy.
That sent pet owners scouring local pharmacies and online pet- medication sites to find less expensive options. Some have given their dogs to animal-rescue groups because they couldn’t afford the treatment.
Dee Alschuler, who runs Lucky Dog Rescue in Phoenix, has noticed a trend in recent weeks. She estimates that more than half of the new dogs she gets have valley fever, and many of the owners cite the cost of fluconazole for surrendering the pets.
“If it’s a bigger dog like a Great Dane, your costs can easily be $500 to $600 each month,” said Alschuler, whose organization is caring for 18 dogs with valley fever. “A lot of people don’t have the means to spend that much. That’s a car payment.”
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The price of the generic drug, fluconazole, has surged to as much as 15 times what it cost in early summer, according to a sampling of prices across metro Phoenix obtained by The Arizona Republic.
The sudden price hike has doctors worried that uninsured patients will have trouble paying for the drug, which some people must take for months to cure the disease. Another big concern is for dogs and other animals that are much more susceptible than people, say veterinarians and animal-rescue groups.
A one-month supply of 100-milligram tablets of fluconazole rose from $5.50 in June to $52 in mid-July when a manufacturer raised its price, according to one pharmacy.
That sent pet owners scouring local pharmacies and online pet- medication sites to find less expensive options. Some have given their dogs to animal-rescue groups because they couldn’t afford the treatment.
Dee Alschuler, who runs Lucky Dog Rescue in Phoenix, has noticed a trend in recent weeks. She estimates that more than half of the new dogs she gets have valley fever, and many of the owners cite the cost of fluconazole for surrendering the pets.
“If it’s a bigger dog like a Great Dane, your costs can easily be $500 to $600 each month,” said Alschuler, whose organization is caring for 18 dogs with valley fever. “A lot of people don’t have the means to spend that much. That’s a car payment.”
continue to read here