New website reveals wholesale costs of drugs

 An independent pharmacist has created a subscription-based website that he believes can help consumers save money by disclosing the wholesale cost of prescriptions.

A year subscription to PrescriptionBlueBook.com costs $39. Pharmacist Steve Patton said the website will empower consumers by revealing the wholesale cost of thousands of brand and generic drug prices and suggesting fair retail prices for each.

“Most consumers believe prescription drug prices are similar from one pharmacy to the next. But this is not true! Each store or chain store sets their own prices based on their pricing strategy,” a statement on the website read. “The retail cash prices are not and cannot be regulated. Prices vary significantly from one pharmacy to the next, even within the same chain. Knowing your drug’s wholesale cost helps you determine if you are paying a fair price from your pharmacy.”

Patton is a retired pharmacist who operated an independent pharmacy in South Carolina. He said some pharmacies charge outrageously inflated prices for some drugs. He said knowing the wholesale price of a particular drug is similar to a consumer knowing the dealer invoice price for a car.

He said knowing the wholesale price of a drug will allow consumers to negotiate pricing, shop around, or talk with their physician about lower-cost drug options.