Comparison of United States and Canadian Glaucoma Medication Costs and Price Change from 2006 to 2013

Table 1

Retail cash price cost comparison of glaucoma topical medications in the USA and Canada.

Product name	Active ingredient	Conc.; %	Size; mL	Price per bottle		Measured; volume^1; mL	Drops per mL^1	Bottles per; year	Wastage; adjustment^2	Yearly cost		Additional yearly; cost in USA; $
				Costco in USA; $US	Costco in Canada; $Cdn					Costco in USA; $US	Costco in Canada; $Cdn
Prostaglandins
Brand
Lumigan	Bimatoprost	0.01	5	228.69	64.61	5.29	32.23	4.3	1.21	1,184.78	334.70	850.08
Travatan Z	Travoprost	0.004	5	218.19	65.35	5.03	33.58	4.3	1.21	1,141.02	341.74	799.29
Xalatan^3	Latanoprost	0.005	5	222.24	68.80	6.26	29.66	3.9	1.21	1,057.27	327.31	729.96
Generic
Latanoprost^4	Latanoprost	0.005	5	33.40	28.71	6.26	29.66	3.9	1.21	158.89	136.58	22.32
β-Blockers
Brand
Betoptic S	Betaxolol	0.25	10	191.74	29.40	9.76	26.34	5.7	1.21	1,317.61	202.03	1,115.58
Timoptic-XE^5	Timolol	0.25	5	120.61	27.30	5.21	21.62	6.5	1.21	945.80	214.10	731.70
Timoptic-XE	Timolol	0.5	5	167.21	31.90	5.21	21.62	6.5	1.21	1,311.22	250.18	1,061.05
Generic
Levobunolol^5	Levobunolol	0.25	10	17.71	14.08	10.01	25.71	5.7	1.21	121.57	96.67	24.90
Levobunolol	Levobunolol	0.5	10	33.96	16.46	10.01	25.71	5.7	1.21	233.11	113.02	120.10
Timolol^5	Timolol	0.25	10	11.95	14.46	10.03	29.59	4.9	1.21	71.13	86.06
Timolol	Timolol	0.5	10	13.57	17.15	10.03	29.59	4.9	1.21	80.77	102.10
Timolol-XE^5	Timolol-XE	0.25	5	39.31	14.57	5.21	21.62	6.5	1.21	308.26	114.25	194.01
Timolol-XE	Timolol-XE	0.5	5	41.83	16.67	5.21	21.62	6.5	1.21	328.02	130.69	197.33
α2-Agonists
Brand
Alphagan P	Brimonidine	0.15	10	204.67	29.86	10.37	22.52	6.3	1.21	1,548.26	225.86	1,322.40
Generic
Brimonidine^4	Brimonidine	0.15	10	169.23	22.81	10.37	22.52	6.3	1.21	1,280.17	172.54	1,107.63
Brimonidine	Brimonidine	0.2	10	15.59	16.50	10.28	26.28	5.4	1.21	101.94	107.91
CAIs
Brand
Azopt	Brinzolamide	1.0	10	148.94	40.32	10.04	29.49	4.9	1.21	888.67	240.57	648.10
Trusopt	Dorzolamide	2.0	10	87.46	46.87	9.98	23.53	6.2	1.21	657.95	352.61	305.35
Combination
Brand
Combigan^6	Brimonidine/timolol	0.2–0.5	10	206.79	49.01	10.37	22.52	6.3	1.21	1,564.30	370.76	1,193.55
Cosopt	Dorzolamide/timolol	2.0–0.5	10	162.25	69.26	10.65	22.33	6.1	1.21	1,205.27	514.48	690.80
Generic
Dorzolamide/timolol^4	Dorzolamide/timolol	2.0–0.5	10	18.25	50.43	10.65	22.33	6.1	1.21	135.57	374.59

Fiscella et al. [10] and Rylander et al. [11].
²Iordanous et al. [13], Platt et al. [14], and Lee and Hutnik [12].
³Only 2.5 mL bottle available so price for 5 mL is 2.5 mL × 2.
⁴Assumed equivalent brand name’s measured volume and drops per mL.
⁵Assumed equivalent 0.5%’s measured volume and drops per mL.
⁶Assumed Alphagan P’s measured volume and drops per mL.