Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Generic Arava

ELT452
ELT452
So the mail order pharmacy tells me they have no generic Arava, and don't know when or if they will, The Brand name stuff will be $8,000 for 3 months!!!! LOL who has that kind of money?? Has any one else had this problem and did your doctor switch you to something else and what was it? I called around a few local pharmacies and only one has any in stock!!!
Christine26
Christine26
I did not know Arava was so expensive!. That is more than the biologic for a 3 month supply. Mail order is supposed to be less expensive. I have not heard of that being of difficult. I am not on Arava now and deal with a mail order company and have not heard of that. Hope you find some soon. When I was on it my body really missed it. Let us know what happens...
LynnRivers
LynnRivers
8,000 - I highly doubt that. Maybe $800 - I think you need to check with your pharmacy again. Here in Canada a one month supply at a Brand name pharmacy runs between $225 - $275 for Brand name Arava.
Generic leflunomide is usually about $50 cheaper. That's with no drug coverage.

Most regular pharmacies can order in the generic of your choice within a week... did you ask your local pharmacy to order you the generic? Still has to be cheaper than the online crooks.
ELT452
ELT452
No, I am certain....$8000.00 trust me I asked them to repeat the amount. The generic would be way so much cheaper...it always has been and I have been on it for years.
ELT452
ELT452
I called around several local pharmacies to try to get a one month supply and only 1 has any generic arava in stock. The too reported its hard to get.. I
deleted_user
deleted_user
There was a supply shortage earlier this winter on Arava...maybe that is what is affecting your cost. That price doesn't seem reasonable though -- I was on it and my co-pay was $10, I think. I don't think if it were an $8,000 drug that the co-pay would be so little. Maybe you should call your doctor and see if they have more info to give you.
deleted_user
deleted_user
When i first started on Medicare they made me switch from Humira to Enbrel and I was expected to pay up to $1500/month out of pocket. That is a lot more than my monthly benefit and there went what was left of my 401K. It took 5 months for them to give me an answer on infusions, but now I go to the hospital once a month for Orencia and pay nothing! It is just cockamamee, the rules we have to navigate. Maybe you can find another drug that will accomodate your disease and pocketbook. Good luck. C
LynnRivers
LynnRivers
Well there has been no supply shortage of the generic Leflunomide in Canada and I've been on it since March 2008. I've never had any trouble getting it. Maybe you should order from a Canadian Online Pharmacy?

The other local pharmacies you contacted didn't offer to order the generic for you? Did they say that they couldn't get the generic leflunomide? How long did they say it would take from them to order it in?

Most pharamcies will only stock this med if they have a customer with a current prescription. Its ONLY used for RA and RA is only about 1 in 100 people in North America.