Sniffle Solutions

Many factors play into how a pharmacy prices its drugs: the volume of prescriptions filled, the revenue the store depends on from pharmaceutical sales, the store’s location and consumer demand. There isn’t a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to finding the lowest prices: Some large chains may beat an independent store’s prices and vice versa.

It’s appropriate and wise to compare prices at several different pharmacies when filling a prescription for the first time. You may not realize it, but this is a common practice, and pharmacists are used to it. You’ll get a good idea of what a particular medication is selling for by calling three or four local pharmacies for quotes. Don’t be concerned if one pharmacy is selling a drug for much less than a competitor: Since all medications sold in the U.S. must be FDA-approved, there’s no chance of purchasing an inferior product. You’re just getting a better deal.

Online drug pricing is also available on many Web sites. Watch out before you click to purchase medications over the Internet, though: Some drugs available online are sold via sites run from foreign countries, which may not have the same regulation standards as the U.S. Either way, it’s safe to use the prices on these Web sites as a point of reference when you’re beginning to shop around.